Phantom Isle - The Haunted Theme Park

[Treecko's Awesomeness]

Mantine Mania: A water-based ride with a twist, not only do you ride through what used to be the serene decorative gardens, there is a waterfall drop and even an underwater segment. Pokémon are rumoured to live in the water and the various surroundings, but if you plan on leaving the ride be wary of getting lost in the now-jungle-like gardens as it could prove to be a very dangerous trek.

"Nav?" TA said with a gulp as he looked at the huge water ride in front of him. "Remind me why we decided to come here again?"

"Treecko," Nav replied with a shudder. "Treecko, Tree."

At least TA wasn't the only one who was scared. He had come here on a dare, and wasn't particularly excited about his fun-filled amusement vacation. After striking every ride but the "Mantine Mania", mostly due to his fear of ghosts and Nav's ability to fight water types, he was left with only one option. Looking at the ride, though, he was starting to have second thoughts.

"There's no way this thing passed Fizzy Bubbles' national safety standards." TA paused. "Then again, I guess there's a reason the park got shut down. Nav, do you think this is a good idea?"

Nav gulped, but nodded. "Treecko."

"Alright then." TA took a deep breath as the trainer and Pokemon stepped towards the ride.

[Son_of_Shadows]

Son of Shadows: Bishop nods, his eyes starting to glow, and immediately the world around him lights up. The Hoothoot looks around, his eyes focusing on every little detail that couldn’t be seen by the naked eye. And once his vision was focused, the little owl started to freak out, squawking and squealing in fear. You grab a hold of Bishop, trying to calm him down; when your eyes glow as well. And you see what freaked Bishop out. Floating around you and your Hoothoot are what appear to be the ghosts of slain children. And they look slain, each of them is slightly transparent, their skin sagging down. And each of them bears the injuries from their deaths, a couple are holding their heads in their arms, a couple have large gaping holes in their chests and other miscellaneous injuries.

He sees us hisses a girl, her arms and legs twisted in a way that is definitely not natural.

He does hisses a boy, the top half of his body separate to the bottom half of his body.

The dead children all start to hiss their acknowledgement of you seeing them, and begin closing in on you and Bishop.

What will you do?

Bishop's Foresight took effect immediately, but he seemed genuinely disturbed by what he was now seeing. Joshua regretted his decision immensely. This may not have been a good idea. Perhaps they ought to just get out of there now. Joshua bent down to hold the owl Pokémon steady, and reassure him, but his eyes began to glow too. And now he understood why Bishop was so freaked. "Oh dear God in heaven..."

Children everywhere. Or rather, their spirits. But these spirits were badly deformed and decayed. The children from the accident that closed the park? Almost certainly. Joshua felt nauseous looking at them; some had been decapitated, others impaled, others still mangled beyond recognition. It took every ounce of willpower Joshua had not to flee or vomit. But the children knew he was seeing them, and began to circle the pair. Bishop hopped up on Joshua's head, hoping his trainer would protect him.

What do I do... Explain?

"Spirits!" he called out, not really knowing what he was doing, "I... I mean no harm by coming here. I came to this park to pay my respects to you. Please... You must believe me. I am not your enemy." He gestured to the incense sticks he'd placed at the shrine, as his token of respect.

Would they believe him? He had no idea. But he had Bishop with him, and Aegis too if it came to it. As a last resort, they could fight their way out of this. But he felt he had no choice but to throw himself on their mercy for now.

[Balmund]

The Park

Despite the lack of human activity in the park during its closure, it seems those from the realm of the dead are quite active in these parts. All of the popular rides remain the same as they were prior to the ghost train event, but over time they seem to have become populated by very unsavoury characters in the form of spectres, poltergeists, and even some of the more mischievous Pokémon who want to manipulate anyone brave enough to enter such a place. If you dare to venture here, you'd best have your wits about you.

Areas:
Rollerquaza: The largest rollercoaster in the park, this ride is designed around the legendary Pokémon Rayquaza and its home, the Sky Pillar of the Hoenn region. The highest peak of the ride reaches, much like the Pokémon itself, high into the clouds above the fog shrouding the park. The final drop leading the rider to a darkened tunnel where people have apparently gone missing for days at a time, reporting a bizarre force as they plunged deep into the shadows.

Yeah I know the zone is capped, but in the event that a slot is opened, I'm leaving this here until then.

There's was nothing funny about Phantom Isle, at least in Balmund's mind. In truth, any one place were so many innocents had encountered nothing but death could only but be a fountain of negative energy, and in general, a place best to avoid. Besides, the dead have a very wierd and dark sense of humor, to say the least, and what was entertaining for them was probably not so much for others. Yet, that this entire island screamed of impending danger was appealing to Balmund. He definitely had every reason to be afraid, but it is said that courage is not the lack of fear but the ability to confont it, and for him, what better place was there to test his mettle? What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger, and he had every intention to make it out alive and strong.

Of all the possible rides he could test there was one which caught his immediate interest, the Rollerquaza. Rayquaza is known as the absolute lord of the skies, and is one of the great mythical dragons. For a dragon tamer like Balmund, this choice only made sense. The rollercoaster was said to reach ridiculously high into the clouds, before dropping at heart-stopping speeds into a darkened tunnel where people were said to have gone missing for days. The whys and hows behind this could only be found in one way, by trying it out oneself.

Though normaly Balmund would be accompanied by one of his strong and faithful Pokémon, this time around he decided to keep them all in the safety of their Pokéballs. Perhaps something incredibly foolish, but venturing into the darkness alone was also part of this self-imposed test. Taking a deep breath, Balmund headed into what could be the ride of his life.

[uhhhhh]

uhhhhh- Lost again! Connor and Gaspard wander through the park, searching fruitlessly for an exit. The cold night air is laden with the feeling that spirits are about; though they may not physically make their presence known, whispers in the wind and inexplicable motion in dark corners of the park suggest that there is something supernatural afoot in the area. Gaspard hides inside Connor's blue jacket for warmth, seeming grateful for his trainer's warm embrace. The little Aipom refuses to be recalled, despite the haunted feeling that surrounds the pair and Connor's concern for his safety; Gaspard likely acts out of the desire to protect his trainer and remain by his side, should any danger present itself. Connor definitely passed by The House of Mirrors at least twice before. It was almost as if their situation went beyond Connor's usual lack of direction, but the result of a strange force within the park that kept drawing them back to this particular attraction.

Connor comments on the rumors that the park is now run by spectral beings, and asks a question, both impractical and strangely practical regarding how the ghosts can afford to get these rides up and running again. After all, the maintenance of a park can be incredibly expensive, and without charging admission at the door, how can these ghosts afford to pay for all the expenses? More importantly, will there be opportunities for Connor to capture some shots of some interesting ghost-type Pokemon? Only time will tell.

Stepping into the House of Mirrors, Connor and Gaspard find themselves in a mirrored corridor. At the end of the corridor, a funny-looking old man wearing a tattered grey hat and grey suspenders stands with a handful of big, colorful balloons, his eyes fixed eerily on Connor and Gaspard. Something is odd about him, and Connor and Gaspard quickly realize that while the man has a reflection, his balloons do not appear to be reflected in any of the mirrors which line the corridor... He seems to be aware of your realization, and chuckles softly. His voice is unnaturally airy and soft, almost ethereal. "A strange little trick, isn't it? The kids used to love it. Spent hours trying to figure it out, they did. The parents, too. Always popped before they could figure it out." He smiles wistfully. "Perhaps you would like to take one on your way..." His free hand gestures toward the maze of mirrors at the end of the corridors as he says this. "On the house, of course... For old time's sake." He plucks a balloon from his bouquet, which appears to be the same shade of purple as Gaspard's fur, and reaches out to Connor with it.

How will you respond?

As Connor and Gaspard entered the House of Mirrors, they were both welcomed by a long corridor of mirrors facing each other. As the duo walked into the corridor, Connor couldn't help but stop for a moment, "Pom?" Gaspard said to Connor when they stopped. The photographer was looking at one of the mirrors on the side, "You know Gaspard, this place made me think about something," he said as he looked at his own reflection, "You know how when you face two mirrors together, they reflect each other endlessly? I wonder, could those reflections be alternate realities?" Connor said to his Aipom who did not understand what he was trying to say Connor then held out his hand and touched the mirror in front of him, with his reflection doing the same. Gaspard was utterly confused at what Connor was doing but he saw that his partner had a serious expression on his face as he seemed to be thinking deeply about something. Connor then shook his head, "What am I doing? Enough stalling, let's go!" he said with a smile on his face as he proceeded to walk into the corridor...

Except he was still facing the mirror, which made him bump into it, "Ow! I think I broke my nose there..." he said as he felt his nose.

As the duo continued to walked further into the corridor, they saw an old man who was was holding balloons of all kinds of colors. As they approached him, they couldn't help but think that something seemed... off about him. "Is it just me, or does it seem like something's wrong here?" Connor asked his partner who looked utterly confused as well. It was then that they noted that the balloons he was holding did not have reflections on the mirrors beside them, "Wait a minute, those balloons... How do you do that mister?" Connor asked the old man who chuckled at his realization and then replied, "A strange little trick, isn't it? The kids used to love it. Spent hours trying to figure it out, they did. The parents, too. Always popped before they could figure it out." The old man smiled, while Connor nodded, "I've seen plenty of tricks before but this is the first time I've seen this kind of trick. Pretty impressive," Connor complimented on the old man's trick. "Perhaps you would like to take one on your way..." The old man's free hand gestures toward the maze of mirrors at the end of the corridors as he says this. "On the house, of course... For old time's sake." he continued as he picked out a purple balloon from the boquet of balloons he was holding. It had the same color as Gaspard's fur.

Gaspard somehow shivered when the old man offered the purple balloon to Connor. The little monkey felt that something did not feel right about the old man or the balloon for some reason as he clutched tightly to Connor's chest. "What's wrong Gaspard?" Connor asked his partner who then proceed to hug him tightly from his position, "Still feeling a little cold huh. It's alright, I'm here," Connor then looked up to the old man and Connor smiled at his offer and promptly took the balloon from him, "Thank you so much, mister!" Connor said as he tied the balloon on his right wrist and holds on to his camera again as he continued on into the maze.

[takkupanda]

takkupanda- A man and his loyal Pokemon walk down a beautiful country road, the wind at their back and a warm, yellow sun guiding their path. The cheerful cries of Pidgey and Taillow add a delightful sense of music to the atmosphere. Though it initially seems as though the trainer, Marcelo, and his Growlithe named Broly are in for a day of warm weather and pleasant traveling, Broly senses something off the beaten path that darkens the seemingly sunshine-filled skies. Bounding forward, Marcelo has no choice but to follow his dear friend, running as fast as he can behind him. The pair run so fast that they do not take a careful look at their surroundings, as Marcelo focuses on his Pokemon and Broly focuses on the sense which pulls him inexplicably forward... Defying all logic and reason, the pair ends up on an island; when Marcelo looks behind him, the path is inexplicably gone. There is little time to think about this strange turn of events, however, as Broly seems convinced that there is a reason that the pair has been drawn here, as if pulled unnaturally through the fabric of space itself by fate.

The fearless Growlithe bounds through the near-deserted remains of Haunted Theme Park, his determination appearing as a burning speck of life amidst the remnants of death that surround him. Marcelo, on the other hand, follows behind with a considerably more hesitant, uncertain expression. The pair travel past the metal skeletons of rides and abandoned game booths; despite their deserted appearance, as Marcelo passes by, flashes of color and motion seem to play at the corners of his eyes, never meeting his gaze directly no matter how many times he turns around. Placing a great deal of trust in his Pokemon despite the haunted feeling of his environment, he allows the Growlithe to lead him to the veritable ground zero of Phantom Isle’s persistent, powerful haunting: the Ghost Train. As the pair approaches, a heavy sense of foreboding begins to weigh on both individuals, as if unearthly hands were pressing into their chests, reaching for their hearts. The atmosphere itself seems laden with emotion; the intense sadness, the loss, the anger, the helpless shouting at Arceus, Giratina, whatever god would listen- the feelings that erupted from this site so many years ago seem to remain, corpselike, suspended in the stillness that surrounds them. That stillness is suddenly broken by an old recording echoing from long-defunct speakers, which starts up as the pair approach, as if motion-sensitive. An eerie voice advertises the attraction, sputtering and stammering: “TAKE A R-R-RIDE ON THE GHO-GHO-GHOOOST TRAIN!! KIDS OF – KIDS OF – KIDS OF ALLLLL AGES WELCOME! REMEMBER TO-“ The recording cuts off as suddenly as it began, presumably as a result of age and lack of use.

The Growlithe, Broly, approaches the tracks, undeterred by the eerie recording. The nearest station is a considerable distance away, and the infamous crash appears to be nowhere in sight. Locating a station by foot would likely take a bit of walking. Nearby, a painted sign, complete with an adorable Mantine, faces the tracks with its bright colors and eye-catching illustrations of what appears to be a former park ride. The giant, dark-blue letters across the top encourage passengers riding by to EXPERIENCE MANTINE MANIA!! The Mantine’s eyes are unnaturally shiny, and seem to be watching the pair as they investigate the tracks. Marcelo notices that the eyes are following Broly, but when the trainer gets closer to the sign to investigate, the effect seems to stop. Perhaps it’s only his nerves playing games with his mind…

Broly sniffs the ground for any signs of life or danger; immediately, his ears perk up, as he rushes towards what appears to be an interesting sound. Marcelo follows Broly down the tracks, anxious to see what his Growlithe has discovered. Eventually, Marcelo’s ears become attuned to what Broly must have heard; a soft weeping noise seems to be coming from farther down the tracks. It isn’t long after the sound becomes apparent to Marcelo that its source becomes apparent, as well; Broly stops short in front of a Pokemon sitting by the tracks. You identify the small creature as a Yamask, who appears to be staring at its mask and weeping. As you approach, you get a better glimpse of the tear-stained mask into which the Yamask is crying; the face appears to be that of a girl, no older than 6 or so, who stares back up at the Yamask with an innocent, carefree smile. The Yamask startles when she realizes that she is not alone, though after a second or so, the Yamask sniffles and reaches out cautiously towards Broly with her little, ghostly hand… It seems as if she’s hoping that the fuzzy-looking puppy might let her pet him.

How do you respond?

As Marcelo shakily followed his brave buddy Broly in the haunted amusement park, they came across the tracks of the creepy Ghost Train. The place was quiet. There was no sign of life anywhere nearby. The silence there felt disturbing and made Marcelo feel very uncomfortable.

Then, just like in a horror movie, the silence was broken by a loudspeaker welcoming the new entrants to the once popular Ghost Train in the amusement park. Marcelo's heart skipped a beat, his hair standing on their ends. At the end of the welcome was something like a warning, which was cut-off due to the poor condition that the speakers were in. Ignoring the announcement, Broly continued on his search for... God knows what... But Marcelo kept praying that it wasn't a ghost.

They continued along another of the old advertisement boards welcoming people to the Mantine Mania ride. There was something very strange about this painting. The eyes of the Mantine seemed to be following them if they did not look at it closely enough, but when they did, they looked absolutely normal! Marcelo remembered watching Scooby Doo when he was much younger.. the only happy thought he had in a while now. It made him smile and they moved on.

Broly kept sniffing the tracks for any sign of suspicion when, all of a sudden, his ears twitched and he ran in the direction of the sound, Marcelo followed with no clue whatsoever about what had been happening so far. As they got closer to the source, the sound which Broly had heard became audible to Marcelo and he also became curious. Broly stopped when he finally found the source of the sound, which was a very weird looking Pokemon which had big red eyes, black arms, and not so much of a body, but instead had another face which was more like a mask. That mask looked like the face of a little girl and the Pokemon was looking at it and crying. Marcelo hurriedly pulled out his Pokedex, which said in a crackling electronic voice:

"Yamask, the spirit Pokemon. Each of them carries a mask that used to be its face when it was human. Sometimes they look at it and cry."

When the Yamask sensed someone approaching, she was alarmed and stopped crying. But when she saw the cute Puppy Pokemon, she tried to reach out for him, as if to play with him. Broly intuitively went on ahead and let her touch him. Marcelo was worried for a moment that this was a Ghost Pokemon, and that this could all be an illusion, but then he realized that she was just a little girl and it looked like she meant no harm. So, he also moved closer and crouched next to the spirit Pokemon and asked, "Hello there... is there anything wrong? We saw you crying. Umm.. can you speak human language?" It was a weird question to ask, but she had been a human before, and that would be the only way Marcelo could figure out why she was crying and try to help her...

[Marion Ette]

We have a joint update this week! Tuner89, Dark Searchman and Treeko's Awesomeness, the three of you will be going separate ways after this week, but this week, the three of you will have a decision to make...


Tuner89, Dark Searchman & Treeko's Awesomeness- It seems as if there's a lot of energy at Mantine Mania today; the normally abandoned amusement park ride seems to have attracted three different trainers and their Pokemon, who will likely liven the place up a little bit. The massive amounts of energy isn't just from human beings, however; whenever more than one living being congregates in Phantom Isle, the spirits of the dead seem to follow them...

The three of you meet unexpectedly in the lobby of Mantine Mania: one, named Tuner, has brought along a mischievous Duskull named Reaper for company. The second trainer, Hyrem, is accompanied by his Ralts and Seedot. The third, known simply as TA, is followed by his Treecko. All three of you are unnerved by the Haunted Theme Park and its ominous aura; being accompanied by two other trainers and their living, breathing Pokemon somewhat alleviates these fears, as you introduce yourselves to the other two young men and their Pokemon. The lobby is dark, dingy and falling into disrepair. Aside from the three of you, no other living being seems to be around. Even so, with the little light around you, the remains of the lobby reveal the formerly innocent nature of this now corrupted, sinister area.

The three of you can gather a great deal of information from the graffiti-covered, damaged signs that surround the lobby, which advertise the ride in its glory days. Mantine Mania was certainly a popular ride before the series of events which tainted the park's wholesome, friendly attitude; after all, the adorable Mantine cars, coupled with the promise of air and sea adventures where plenty of Pokemon could be seen, photographed and even interacted with (from behind the safety glass of the Mantine car's clear top and bottom) made for an incredibly popular attraction for children and their parents alike. The size of the Mantine meant that everyone had to ride individually with only one small Pokemon to accompany them (no bigger than 2 and a half feet tall, weighing no more than 85 lbs.); children loved the independence of having their own cars, away from their parents, and if they knew how to manipulate, convince and/or tantrum enough to get their guardians to indulge them, there was even a special kiosk in the ride lobby where children could rent small Pokemon to keep them company during the ride.

The ride offered three separate experiences, all of which equally popular; one Mantine could "fly" as a means of providing an aerial perspective, which allowed children and trainers to soar above other parts of the ride and get an up-close and personal look at the flying Pokemon who roosted in the ride. The glass bottom adds to the illusion that the child or trainer is flying. The section option, "surf," provided a boat-like Mantine which would float across the water, and allowed the child or trainer to get a decent view of both land and sea, as well as some exciting, flume-like plunges for the more daring, adventurous child. Finally, the "dive" Mantine, which is like a little submarine, allowed for the best view of underwater Pokemon, which often swam right up to the submerged Mantine to say hello.

As the three of you explore the lobby and discuss which path you would most like to experience, weighing potential benefits and dangers, a light suddenly flashes on at the old kiosk where children would pick up rental companions to accompany them on Mantine Mania. As the light goes on, pictures are illuminated of adorable water and flying-type Pokemon, all of whom are in their cute, innocent pre-evolved stages. Pictures of children embracing these Pokemon, feeding them and playfully tugging at their ears and tails are plastered all over the kiosk; a few bouquets of flowers seem to have been recently placed near some of the pictures. A sadness washes over the three of you when you think that some of these children may have since passed from the terrible accident not long after their pictures were taken here. Did the rentals come with them...?

Soon after the blinding light completely shatters the darkness, a shadow appears behind the closed shades of the kiosk. The shades are pulled open by... a fin? It appears that there's a giant Mantine somehow standing upright behind the kiosk, though with no view of its legs, you have no idea how the creature is able to accomplish that. In one of its fins, a styrofoam cup of coffee is tightly held; the Mantine sips the coffee and exhales, muttering something under its breath. The Mantine then notices the three trainers in the lobby, and curls its other fun close to its mouth and coughs to get your attention (as if this whole display didn't attract your attention already). It addresses the three of you with a distinctly feminine, middle-aged voice: "I sincerely apologize for not addressing the three of you sooner. This place is so deserted, I didn't think trainers even came to Mantine Mania anymore! I thought they'd all grown out of it..." She sighs, wistfully. "The three of you seem young at heart. Come over here, won't you?"

The three of you apprehensively approach the Mantine's kiosk, unsure of her motives. She seems to be staring at your Pokemon for some length of time, before shaking her head in disapproval. "Oh, the Pokemon you have with you simply won't do. I have some wonderful companions right here-" She begins to rummage through the kiosk, before producing three Pokeballs, each with a label stuck to the top: One reads "Fly," one reads "Surf," and one reads "Dive". "You can each have one. One path, one Pokemon. You'll have to decide among yourselves who gets what- no releasing them until you get in the mechaMantine, though. Their identity is part of the surprise! Of course, you could always play Charmander-Bulbasaur-Squirtle to see who gets which Pokemon, or see who can nab it first when the others aren't looking... I'm hoping you play nice, though." The Mantine smirks. The smirk is not long-lived, however, as some dark memory seems to come over her that causes her to sigh.

"This place has... changed." The Mantine's eyes seem to darken as she says this. "It's not enough that a companion warms your heart. It must also keep you safe. I trained these little ones myself... They're... they're the only three that came back after, after... well, you know." Tears well up in the strange creature's eyes as she says this. "They don't tell you on the news, but it wasn't just the Ghost Train. Everything seemed to go wrong. Things... things changed. I cannot keep these Pokemon here anymore. It is cruel to keep them locked up in their Pokeballs. They need love as much... if not more... than they need safety. However, as I'm sure you know, nothing is free in life. I'm afraid I can't go on the Mantine ride myself... I get motion sick at the slightest thing, you know. Ironic I'd be working here, huh?" She laughs a bit, though there is a distinct sadness in the gesture. "I need to know what happened to the other rentals. You'll know them by the collars around their necks - you'll see what they look like when you call out your companions. Bring me some closure, or, even better, bring me back some missing Pokemon, and you will be allowed to keep your rental." The Mantine smiles. "I hope the three of you come back... with good news." The pause in that sentence creates a definite feel of uneasiness in the air.

"Well? Which companion will you pick?"

You must each pick a different Pokeball, which will determine your own unique path. I don't care how you decide who gets what, as long as you show me your thought process in your responses. Like Mantine said, try to play nice...


Shadowshocker- Ever since the horrific events of the Ghost Train, it seems as if a persistent chill has gripped Phantom Isle, sending shudders down the spines of those who visit. Shadow, Scherza and Dahlia are no exceptions, as they weather the frosty atmosphere in order to explore the long-since abandoned Phantom Isle Hotel. Shadow admires the opulence and beauty of the hotel's exterior, as one of the birds on his shoulders squaks away, while the other silently broods. Shadow opens the door to the Lobby cautiously, hoping that he will be prepared for whatever dangers he might face. Shadow intimately understands the risks that present themselves with every adventure, and inwardly vows to himself to do his best to keep himself and his Pokemon safe. Taking a deep breath, Shadow take his first steps into the hotel, balanced on either side by his companions.

Though the power has long since been shut off, enough natural light from the Lobby windows seeps through to give Shadow and his Pokemon a good view of the area into which they have entered. The Lobby of the Phantom Isle Hotel is a fascinating look into the history of the Isle; the Edwardian architectural themes that pervade throughout the hotel hint at a construction date in the early 1900s, and the architects certainly spared no expense at making the Phantom Isle Hotel look gorgeous. The beautiful marble floors, impressive archways, ebony chandeliers and elegantly carved walls and ceilings are astounding to behold. In contrast to the stately, historic presence of the architectural aspects of the Lobby, giant posters scattered around the Lobby advertise theme park rides in bright colors and obnoxious computer-generated font. From Rollerquaza to Mantine Mania for nearly every park ride. Off to the side, a room filled with small chairs, toys and a broken television hints at the changes the Phantom Isle Hotel had to make in later years to accomodate for the clientele attracted by the Phantom Isle Amusement Park. Signs pointing to dining rooms, arcade rooms, boutiques and more appear in every archway. Certainly, there should be plenty to explore here.

As Shadow and his bird companions walk cautiously into the lobby, one of the chandeliers above Shadow's head begins to violently shake, as if an earthquake had suddenly struck. Strangely, however, none of the other objects in the lobby seem to be reacting to the tremors. The shaking becomes so intense that the chandelier frees itself from the chain that attached it to the wall. Though Shadow and his Pokemon duck out of the way to avoid being hit by a falling chandelier, the chandelier strangely does not come crashing down; instead, it gently floats towards the ground, its candles lighting one by one of their own volition. Finally, the center light of the chandelier becomes illuminating, revealing the strange object to be a Chandelure. The Pokemon gives Shadow a wry smile and seems to bow, as if welcoming him and his Pokemon. In the soft flicker of the Chandelure's lights, Shadow can make out the vague silhouette of a person, even though he could have sworn there was no one else in the area. The ghostlike image plays in and out of Shadow's vision until it disappears entirely. Chandelure notices that Shadow has seen some sort of spectre, and chuckles a bit.

"My lights illuminate more than just darkness," says a strange voice emanating from the candle-covered Pokemon. "I am willing to light your path if you can prove that you are strong enough to face the dangers that lie ahead. If you wish to go forward, one of your Pokemon must defeat me first." The Chandelure's eyes narrow as it assumes a battle pose. "If you do not wish to accept my challenge, I suggest you turn back." The Chandelure looks tough, but will Shadow try to prove that he is tougher?


Mon1010- Scott's response to the frightened girl is to politely inform her that there is, indeed, nothing behind her. "Okay, good... Safe for now," she responds. However, she seems to completely ignore Scott when he asks her why she would ask such a question in the first place; instead, Scott finds a trembling little Gulpin being shoved into his arms. "Hold him for me, will you," the girl asks, though clearly not waiting to give Scott a choice in the matter. As if wanting to explain herself, she adds, "I lost his former owner's Pokeball, so I can't recall him. We can fix that, though..." Now that her hands are free, the girl removes her backpack from her shoulders, and starts rummaging through it. "Dammit, I knew I should've picked up some Great Balls back at headquarters..." She mutters to herself as she digs through the Pokeballs pocket of her backpack, which looks completely empty. Gulpin's trembling seems to subside somewhat in Scott's arms; perhaps the Gulpin senses something in the trainer's nature that calms him. Either way, the girl zips up her backpack and sighs, addressing the Gulpin directly. "There's not much I can do for you if you won't let yourself get caught, kiddo. I can't carry you forev-"

The sound of inhuman laughter interrupts the girl's chiding. Scott can physically feel the Gulpin shudder, as he immediately buries his face into Scott's shirt. The girl tries to gently take the Gulpin away from Scott, but Gulpin refuses to budge, clinging to Scott for dear life, perhaps hoping that the scary laughter will go away if he buries his face deep enough into Scott's chest. The poor creature appears to be shaking and crying, as evidenced from the tears that are now smearing themselves across Scott's shirt. The girl decides not to force the issue, and instead says to Scott; "Whatever you do, please protect Gulpin!" She then turns to face the noise; though visibly afraid, she takes one of the six Pokeballs off of her belt and calls out a Houndour, which she refers to as "Melanie". Melanie growls in the direction of the noise, clearly sensing something sinister about the laughter that seems to be getting steadily louder. The girl pats the Houndour lightly on the head, a concerned look on her face. She seems hesitant to let Houndour fight, but it seems as if her options are running out at this point.

Scott see the girl's pursuers in the mirrors before they actually appear. at first, the floating creatures appear to be Pokemon, but as the come closer, it becomes clear that the tattered, burned, charred and mangled objects are actually giant stuffed animals, just like the ones that used to be given out at the park as prizes to exceptionally lucky children. In fact, the giant tag that hangs from the flopped, torn ear of one of the plushies has the logo of the Theme Park emblazoned on it. The stuffed animals are drenched in blood, which mats their fur, and their button eyes appear to be glowing with some kind of unnatural force. The smaller of the two stuffed animals, which looks like a plush version of Eevee, appears to be the source of the insane laughter that alerted the trainers to the presence of these evil entities. The larger stuffed animal, made to look like a plushie version of Arcanine, keeps repeating the word "ABANDONED... ABANDONED..." over and over again in an eerie, high-pitched voice; its nearly-decapitated head lobs to the side, stuffing seeping from the "wound," as the creepy voice emanates from within its body. Melanie and her trainer stand their ground, ready to attack the creepy ghost-plushies once they get in range.

How do you react?


gmoyes- Ghost Red's blank eyes are intently fixed upon Alex as he does his best to provide a suitable answer for not only the meaning of life, but whether or not life is similar to a game. Receiving inspiration from the Lake Trio and the values they represent, Alex describes the spirit's drives for what are essentially wisdom, courage and empathy; certainly, these three aspects of the human soul are far from meaningless. In addition, Alex dives into the metaphor of life as a game with a level of depth that would make any nerd proud, and admits that while there are definitely parallels between the two, life is ultimately more complicated than any game. The sagacity of his answers not only startles Alex's Pokemon, but also Alex himself; he did not seem to realize that such wisdom lay dormant within him. Alex hopes that by providing a strong and thought-provoking response to Ghost Red's question, the spectral trainer will perhaps spare him from some sort of deadly wrath.

Ghost Red pauses for a moment, as if letting your responses sink in. In that tense moment, Alex and his Pokemon anxiously await his reaction, hoping that he will, perhaps, respect Alex's viewpoint, and maybe even help the trio out. After the long, dreadful pause, a smirk begins to play across Red's face, and he starts snorting a bit, as if holding in laughter. The glare of his pupilless eyes becomes even more unnerving as he responds to Alex's philosophizing; "Here I was thinking you had the flopping, water-logged mind of a Magikarp. Perhaps I was wrong... or perhaps, your mind is evolving right before my eyes." Ghost Red's grin slowly spreads across his face as he speaks. "You know... it's funny, the things we find ourselves saying in the face of death, in those brief, aching moments..." At this comment, Ghost Red breaks out into a full-on laugh. Through bouts of eerie, echoing laughter, he comments: "How funny we are! How deeply, how pitifully we struggle against the inevitable! And yet..." Ghost Red trails off, his laughter subsiding. He raises a hand to his mouth, tapping his chin as if considering something.

"You seek Pokemon, do you not?" For a moment, hope seems to wash over Alex and his Pokemon, as Ghost Red's posture and demeanor suggests that he seems to be considering helping the trio in their endeavors. The expression that suddenly comes across Red's face, however, erases all traces of hope; his smile becomes wider than what any human could physically produce, as his lips seem to curl around his cheeks; his eyes bulge as if about to fall out, and his teeth appear unnaturally sharp as the grin spreads... "I can help you. Ohhhh, I can help you..."

Suddenly, Red's Pikachu begins screaming horrifically from the shadows, as you watch the Pikachu's figure writhe as if in pain; its little feet begin growing and stretching, pulsating and morphing into long, human like legs. Arms burst out of Pikachu's body, with flesh and bodily fluid seeping out of the Pikachu's body as they flail helplessly. Pikachu eventually gains enough control of the arms to crawl, slowly drag itself towards Alex, its bulbous head now visible in the light. the Pikachu turns its face upward; Alex can see now that the Pikachu has no facial features, though the yellow, fur-covered, featureless face is expanding from the inside, as if something is trying to push against it and break out from underneath the surface. The face seems to split horizontally, as if a mouth was forming, and the scream that blasts from it sounds strangely like a young man's... like yours... blood splatters everywhere from the screaming, gaping wound, as something finally emerges from the gash. From the wash of blood, Alex can see his own face bursting from the Pikachu's body. The whole display paralyzes Alex with fear - or perhaps a more supernatural force roots him to the ground where he stands - either way, he is unable to order his Pokemon or perform any actions as the screaming Pikachu morphs into a near-perfect copy of Alex; of course, like Ghost Red, the one major difference is that Ghost Alex has no pupils.

Ghost Alex removes an ebony Pokeball from his belt, looking at the real Alex with a predatory glint in his eye... Activating the Pokeball, he throws it at the real Alex, screaming, "POKEBALL, GO!" A white light blinds Alex as it envelops his entire body, and a feeling like his very being is coming apart cell by cell overwhelms him; once enveloped by light, he is now a part of the light, glowing and formless. He is sucked into the Pokeball, and into utter darkness. Though he instinctively struggles against the pitch-black walls that surround him, an overwhelming sense of fatigue overcomes him, and he finds himself involunarily drifting to sleep within the terrifying confines of Ghost Red's Pokeball. A voice rings through the ominous space, strangely similar to that of Ghost Red: "On my honor as a trainer, the spirits will rest. I will personally make their beds and see that they sleep soundly, for the good of the Isle and for the good of Fizzytopia!" The roar of an excited croud applauding and cheering fades with Alex's consciousness as he falls asleep.

A distant shout eventually awakens Alex from his slumber, as the blinding light once again flashes over his eyes, and indeed, his entire being. He awakens in a pixelated world, where everything is red and white, and everything from the rock walls to the pebble sprites indicate to Alex that, somehow, he seems to have been transported into the very first Pokemon game. The exit of the mysterious cave is within a few steps of where Alex is... floating? Something definitely doesn't feel right. A pixelated version of Ghost Alex is staring at him, with a text bubble underneath saying, "Good job, ALEX! We're almost there!" Ghost Alex's sprite takes a step towards the exit, and a familiar flashing of lights and sound effect indicating a wild encounter overwhelms the cave. Suddenly, the entire environment melts into blank nothingness, as Alex and Ghost Alex come face to face with a pixelated version of Geodude, fists curled into a fighting stance. A text bubble suddenly appears in front of the pair: "A wild GEODUDE appeared!" Ghost Alex's voice rings out: "Go, ALEX!" Alex finds himself inexplicably shouting "PORYGON" and jumping into battle... From the text box that appears inexplicably beside Alex in the empty, white space, Alex can see that he is Level 12, that Ghost Alex wants him to FIGHT, and that he knows Agility, Psybeam, Tackle and Conversion. Ghost Alex has selected Agility to begin the battle. Will Alex obey the command, or will he follow his own orders?


Balmund- Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. The famous quote by Mark Twain seems especially true for Balmund at this moment, as he makes his way toward one of the most fear-inducing rides of Phantom Isle's Haunted Theme Park: Rollerquaza. Balmund certainly has plenty to fear, especially without the company of his trusted Pokemon. After all, this ride in particular is one of the few with the distinction of being frightening even before the terrifying and tragic Ghost Train incident, and those events have only made the ride that much more intimidating and fearsome. To make matters worse, the spirits who have invaded the park often pull life-threatening pranks for their own amusement. After all, to the dead, the fear of the living is incredibly amusing, and unfortunately for the brave dragon tamer, the spirits love to laugh, and will go to great lengths for entertainment. That said, Balmund reasons that what doesn't kill him makes him stronger, and decides that Rollerquaza will be an excellent test of his own bravery in the face of extreme danger. It is hard to say whether Balmund's decision to keep his Pokemon in their balls is an act of love and protection, or simply an act of intense foolishness in hopes of proving his own bravery. Perhaps it's a little of both.

As Balmund approaches the ominous thrill ride, he notices that the line is extending out the door. For a moment, he mutters to himself about the long wait, before suddenly realizing that something is not right about this whole scene; looking up again, the entire line of people has vanished. Attributing the vision to a trick of the eye, Balmund moves forward, up and down winding staircases and through mazelike rooms painted to look like a sky filled with legendaries and dragon Pokemon; it is clear that these rooms and staircases once housed terribly long lines, like the one he previously thought he had seen. Eventually, he makes his way to the end of the line, and a Rayquaza-shaped roller coaster car is waiting for him. It appears that this is car #10. Seems as if Lady Luck favors you; the car looks clean, well-kept and without any apparent mechanical flaws. Even so, it is a bit unnerving that directly above the ride, a sign reminds boarding passengers that "This is your last chance to turn back," with an arrow pointing to the exit. Considering all the events that have befallen the park, and the sinister turn the ride has taken, this sign has become even more foreboding.

At first, Balmund doesn't notice the strange being standing at the podium; however, he soon realizes that there is what appears to be a person in a giant Rayquaza costume at the control panel, staring at Balmund from behind the Rayquaza mask. Mascots, admittedly, are creepy under normal circumstances, but the presence of one here is just that much more unnerving. The strange thing about this costume is that one would assume that the silouhette of a face could be seen behind the mesh Rayquaza mouth, but it appears as if no one is inside the costume, despite the fact that it is standing upright and has the aura of being alive. Perhaps the mesh is simply too thick to see through. Either way, the Rayquaza gives Balmund a quick once-over before wordlessly giving him a thumbs up, followed by a silent point towards the ride.

If Balmund wants to turn back, or do anything before getting on the ride, this is his last chance. What will be his course of action?


uhhhhh- Gaspard is quick to sense something sinister about the balloon, which sends shivers down his little monkey spine. Though Connor is quick to comfort his Pokemon and provide extra warmth, he misses the hint that his Pokemon is giving that this balloon may be more than just a simple little parlor trick. Connor takes the purple balloon and thanks the man for the gift before tying the balloon to his wrist, grabbing his camera and moving forward. The balloon man gives Connor an eerie wink. "You are most welcome, my young friend. Enjoy." The balloon man slowly walks toward the entrance with the rest of his balloon bouquet, presumably looking to offer his wares to anyone else who may enter the mirror-filled attraction.

The maze is maddeningly difficult; deceitful reflections and dead-end pathways are everywhere, and Connor finds himself banging into mirrors far more often than he'd like. Throughout his experience, the balloon's reflection remains completely missing. Indeed, even with the balloon in Connor's possession, it is difficult to figure out how such a trick is being accomplished. Is it something to do with light? Is it the material with which the balloon is made? Was this particular funhouse designed in such a way that balloons do not reflect in the mirrors? Did they manage to fit a ghost Pokemon in there? All sorts of explanations float through Connor's head, each one more absurd and lacking in plausibility than the last. Certainly, the balloon itself was a puzzle.

Perhaps a confusing mirror-maze was not the best choice for a man who already lacks a sense of direction; the more he moves through the maze, the more lost he becomes. As Connor turns one of many corners that he has faced within this place, he finds himself face-to-face with a mirror (big surprise). However, Connor notices immediately that something is wrong with this particular reflection, especially after staring at his own reflection in various angles for some time. For some reason, Gaspard is not being reflected in this particular mirror; only Connor's reflection remains. As Connor studies the reflection to figure out what's going on, he is horrified to see his own reflection scream as the balloon appears in the reflection, the strings tied around Connor's throat, choking him. Blood drips from the strings as they progressively tighten, cutting through his throat. Bloody coughs turning into wheezes, and then nothing at all... Mirror-Connor drops to the floor, and the balloon, which has an obvious hole, appears to be draining something out of Connor through the hole before growing little button-eyes, a cottony puff on its head and tiny, yellow feet...

The vision is horrifying, and Connor immediately reaches for his neck, finding that he is not being assailed in the real world. The balloon, still tied to his wrist, appears in reality to still be a normal, everyday balloon, despite its lack of reflection. Perhaps this is one of those "parallel universes" that Connor was considering earlier in the House of Mirrors. No matter what the explanation, the vision is incredibly disturbing, and Gaspard seems even more horrified than Connor; this is his beloved trainer, after all. The two don't have very long to think about it, however, as the reflections around them show a pair of scissors flying toward Connor. Indeed, when Connor turns around, it appears that a Drifloon is flying towards Connor as fast as it can go, sharp scissors held within its yellow feet, aiming right for Connor's balloon! How does he react?


takkupanda- Marcelo, noting the Yamask's sadness, decides to ask her what's wrong and inquire as to her ability to speak human language. It seems like a reasonable thing to ask; after all, based on the description that Marcelo's Pokedex provided, this creature was once a living human being. The little Yamask does not answer right away; she seems distracted and delighted by the fact that Broly and Marcelo are willing to let her pet the puppy, and she does so awkwardly, but gently. The mask turns upward at Broly, and the mouth of the mask begins to move: "Puppy! I love you, puppy!" The Yamask's Pokemon face than lets out a small giggle. She seems quite content to be with the dog, and trusts both Broly and his trainer with a strangely childlike innocence. After spending a short time petting Broly across the head and back, the human-faced mask once again decides to speak, only this time to Marcelo.

"I can't forget stuff. I try real hard, but nope." Tears well up in the Yamask's red eyes as the mask, in contrast, speaks in a cheerful tone, with the joyful expression of the mask unchanged. "Mama Coffee helps sometimes. We all play games. You wanna see?" She points towards the faraway Mantine Mania station. "That's where I live, with the others. Oh, don't tell anyone I talked to you. Mama Coffee says we speak Yamask now." The Yamask shudders. "I don't like it. I have a face! A person face! I have a name too, but I'm not s'pos'ta say it!" The mask appears to be shouting, and though the tone and expression of the mask's voice is carefree, the Yamask face appears to be in an unreal amount of pain. The Yamask balls her fists up, seemingly overcome with rage and sadness, before she seems to calm herself by distracting herself with Broly again. "Fuzzy pup-py, fuzzy pup-py~" she sings, patting him on the head. She then says to Broly, "You and your owner need'a see where I live! Last one there's a rotten Exeggcute!" The Yamask begins floating toward the station she previously indicated as "home". Broly charges off after her, and Marcelo is forced to follow.

The trio run along the tracks for a while before coming to the Mantine Mania station. The delapidated station is completely boarded up, and the place is surrounded by an incredibly sinister aura. The giant Mantine depicted on top of the station has the same glassy-eyed look as the one in the billboard Marcelo saw earlier, and it seems to have the same eerie quality that makes Marcelo feel as if he is being watched. The Yamask shouts something in Yamask language, which emanates from the dark Pokemon head, and while Marcelo does not understand what is being said, Broly seems to get the idea that Yamask is asking a question to someone inside, and punctuates the end of Yamask's shout with a cheerful bark. In response to the two Pokemon, one of the boards comes loose, and Yamask floats toward the opening. It appears to be just large enough for Marcelo to crawl through with some effort. She makes a motion for Marcelo and Broly to follow her inside this strange and creepy-looking place. Will the two agree to follow her in, or will they take a different course of action?

[myahoo]

myahoo: The Fortune Teller looks at you for a couple of seconds, well she more stares at you in a creepy manner, as if she was processing your request.

“So you wish to seek an adventure, and maybe a new partner?” she asked, “Well let’s see what the ball has to say.”

The Fortune Teller places her hands on the crystal ball at the centre of the table, and moves her hands around for a little bit. Suddenly she throws her head back, the tent somehow darkening. She opens here eyes, and now they are glowing dark purple.

"Your adventure is going to a long and arduous one," she announced, her voice dropping several octaves, "You will meet many pokemon on your journey, some tougher than the others. And it all starts here!"

There is a loud bang and the crystal ball explodes. Ducking for cover, you look back up and see that where the fortune teller once was, there is now a large pulsating purple portal.

What will you do?

As the silence stretched on with the Fortune Teller only staring creepily at the duo, Melissa fought the urge to fidget. She didn't want the Fortune Teller to think she was doubting the woman's powers, but, then again, it was taking her a long time to respond to (what Melissa thought) was a relatively simple request. The teen found her attention starting to wander, replacing Wildfire on her left shoulder where he proceeded to shift impatiently, but they both snapped their attention back towards the Fortune Teller when she began speaking.

"So you wish to seek an adventure, and maybe a new partner?" the Fortune Teller finally asked. "Well, let's see what the crystal ball has to say."

Melissa instantly felt curiosity and skepticism once the Fortune Teller mentioned the crystal ball. After all, the lady did have a pretty strong reputation about her powers, but the line about the crystal ball was, just, so...cliche. Nevertheless, the brunette couldn't help eagerly leaning forward to watch as the Fortune Teller began moving her hands around the crystal ball.

"Eep!" The girl yelped and stumbled back a few steps at the woman's sudden movement, heart racing as she vaguely registered the tightened grip and crackling flame emanating from her startled Cyndaquil. Somehow, the tent seemed darker than it had been a second ago and Melissa shrank back a little, seeking reassurance from the little fire mouse on her shoulder. The Fortune Teller's eyes opened and they glowed a dark purple; when she speaks again, her voice was much deeper than before.

"Your adventure is going to be a long and arduous one," the lady announced, and Melissa felt herself growing apprehensive. "You will meet many Pokemon on your journey, some tougher than the others. And it all starts here."

With the fortune told, the crystal ball exploded with a loud bang and Melissa ducked, Wildfire clutching her shoulder and making sure none of the shards of glass got too close. As the debris settled and her ears stopped ringing, the teen cautiously started looking around. The Fortune Teller had disappeared, along with her crystal ball, but a pulsating purple portal remained. Still slightly shocked by the explosion, Melissa took a moment to try to calm down, taking a seat on the floor (once she made sure it was clear) and staring at the weird purple portal. Her Cyndaquil leaped onto the floor in front of her and sat down, keeping one eye on the portal and one on her.

After a few moments of silence, Melissa spoke, "Well, that was...interesting. Do you suppose she meant only this adventure or all of my adventures?"

Wildfire shrugged, extinguishing his fire once he was sure nothing else would come at them at the moment. "Qui-il, quil quil."

"Yeah, I dunno either." She eyed the portal warily for another few moments. "D'you think we should go through that?"

The little fire mouse tilted his head to the side, examining the portal himself, before he looked back at his trainer, giving no indication whether he wanted to enter.

Said trainer groaned. "Alright, alright. Gimme a moment to calm down a little more, and, then, we'll go see what that portal'll do."

Gathering her courage, Melissa climbed back to her feet, picking up and placing Wildfire back on her left shoulder, and cautiously approached the portal. She glanced at her Cyndaquil once more for reassurance, before stepping through.

[Treecko's Awesomeness]

We have a joint update this week! Tuner89, Dark Searchman and Treeko's Awesomeness, the three of you will be going separate ways after this week, but this week, the three of you will have a decision to make...


Tuner89, Dark Searchman & Treeko's Awesomeness- It seems as if there's a lot of energy at Mantine Mania today; the normally abandoned amusement park ride seems to have attracted three different trainers and their Pokemon, who will likely liven the place up a little bit. The massive amounts of energy isn't just from human beings, however; whenever more than one living being congregates in Phantom Isle, the spirits of the dead seem to follow them...

The three of you meet unexpectedly in the lobby of Mantine Mania: one, named Tuner, has brought along a mischievous Duskull named Reaper for company. The second trainer, Hyrem, is accompanied by his Ralts and Seedot. The third, known simply as TA, is followed by his Treecko. All three of you are unnerved by the Haunted Theme Park and its ominous aura; being accompanied by two other trainers and their living, breathing Pokemon somewhat alleviates these fears, as you introduce yourselves to the other two young men and their Pokemon. The lobby is dark, dingy and falling into disrepair. Aside from the three of you, no other living being seems to be around. Even so, with the little light around you, the remains of the lobby reveal the formerly innocent nature of this now corrupted, sinister area.

The three of you can gather a great deal of information from the graffiti-covered, damaged signs that surround the lobby, which advertise the ride in its glory days. Mantine Mania was certainly a popular ride before the series of events which tainted the park's wholesome, friendly attitude; after all, the adorable Mantine cars, coupled with the promise of air and sea adventures where plenty of Pokemon could be seen, photographed and even interacted with (from behind the safety glass of the Mantine car's clear top and bottom) made for an incredibly popular attraction for children and their parents alike. The size of the Mantine meant that everyone had to ride individually with only one small Pokemon to accompany them (no bigger than 2 and a half feet tall, weighing no more than 85 lbs.); children loved the independence of having their own cars, away from their parents, and if they knew how to manipulate, convince and/or tantrum enough to get their guardians to indulge them, there was even a special kiosk in the ride lobby where children could rent small Pokemon to keep them company during the ride.

The ride offered three separate experiences, all of which equally popular; one Mantine could "fly" as a means of providing an aerial perspective, which allowed children and trainers to soar above other parts of the ride and get an up-close and personal look at the flying Pokemon who roosted in the ride. The glass bottom adds to the illusion that the child or trainer is flying. The section option, "surf," provided a boat-like Mantine which would float across the water, and allowed the child or trainer to get a decent view of both land and sea, as well as some exciting, flume-like plunges for the more daring, adventurous child. Finally, the "dive" Mantine, which is like a little submarine, allowed for the best view of underwater Pokemon, which often swam right up to the submerged Mantine to say hello.

As the three of you explore the lobby and discuss which path you would most like to experience, weighing potential benefits and dangers, a light suddenly flashes on at the old kiosk where children would pick up rental companions to accompany them on Mantine Mania. As the light goes on, pictures are illuminated of adorable water and flying-type Pokemon, all of whom are in their cute, innocent pre-evolved stages. Pictures of children embracing these Pokemon, feeding them and playfully tugging at their ears and tails are plastered all over the kiosk; a few bouquets of flowers seem to have been recently placed near some of the pictures. A sadness washes over the three of you when you think that some of these children may have since passed from the terrible accident not long after their pictures were taken here. Did the rentals come with them...?

Soon after the blinding light completely shatters the darkness, a shadow appears behind the closed shades of the kiosk. The shades are pulled open by... a fin? It appears that there's a giant Mantine somehow standing upright behind the kiosk, though with no view of its legs, you have no idea how the creature is able to accomplish that. In one of its fins, a styrofoam cup of coffee is tightly held; the Mantine sips the coffee and exhales, muttering something under its breath. The Mantine then notices the three trainers in the lobby, and curls its other fun close to its mouth and coughs to get your attention (as if this whole display didn't attract your attention already). It addresses the three of you with a distinctly feminine, middle-aged voice: "I sincerely apologize for not addressing the three of you sooner. This place is so deserted, I didn't think trainers even came to Mantine Mania anymore! I thought they'd all grown out of it..." She sighs, wistfully. "The three of you seem young at heart. Come over here, won't you?"

The three of you apprehensively approach the Mantine's kiosk, unsure of her motives. She seems to be staring at your Pokemon for some length of time, before shaking her head in disapproval. "Oh, the Pokemon you have with you simply won't do. I have some wonderful companions right here-" She begins to rummage through the kiosk, before producing three Pokeballs, each with a label stuck to the top: One reads "Fly," one reads "Surf," and one reads "Dive". "You can each have one. One path, one Pokemon. You'll have to decide among yourselves who gets what- no releasing them until you get in the mechaMantine, though. Their identity is part of the surprise! Of course, you could always play Charmander-Bulbasaur-Squirtle to see who gets which Pokemon, or see who can nab it first when the others aren't looking... I'm hoping you play nice, though." The Mantine smirks. The smirk is not long-lived, however, as some dark memory seems to come over her that causes her to sigh.

"This place has... changed." The Mantine's eyes seem to darken as she says this. "It's not enough that a companion warms your heart. It must also keep you safe. I trained these little ones myself... They're... they're the only three that came back after, after... well, you know." Tears well up in the strange creature's eyes as she says this. "They don't tell you on the news, but it wasn't just the Ghost Train. Everything seemed to go wrong. Things... things changed. I cannot keep these Pokemon here anymore. It is cruel to keep them locked up in their Pokeballs. They need love as much... if not more... than they need safety. However, as I'm sure you know, nothing is free in life. I'm afraid I can't go on the Mantine ride myself... I get motion sick at the slightest thing, you know. Ironic I'd be working here, huh?" She laughs a bit, though there is a distinct sadness in the gesture. "I need to know what happened to the other rentals. You'll know them by the collars around their necks - you'll see what they look like when you call out your companions. Bring me some closure, or, even better, bring me back some missing Pokemon, and you will be allowed to keep your rental." The Mantine smiles. "I hope the three of you come back... with good news." The pause in that sentence creates a definite feel of uneasiness in the air.

"Well? Which companion will you pick?"

You must each pick a different Pokeball, which will determine your own unique path. I don't care how you decide who gets what, as long as you show me your thought process in your responses. Like Mantine said, try to play nice...

TA gulped. A talking Mantine? What the heck was going on? He looked at Nav for reassurance. Receiving a nod from the Treecko, he decided to move ahead with the plan. If he chose surf or dive, he'd likely face water Pokemon, which Nav would have an advantage against. If he chose flying, though, he would be able to keep Nav out of his Pokeball, and his attacks would face less resistance from the air than from the water. Nav would be at a disadvantage towards the Pokemon there, but unless he was fighting a Skarmory, Nav's normal type moves could handle them where his grass moves couldn't. Maybe using only two types wasn't such a great idea after all. He'd have whatever flying Pokemon he got too, though, so that could help. A Surfing or Diving Pokemon would probably be a water type, though, so it would have a resistance against water attacks. Maybe he was over-thinking this.

"What do you think, Nav?"

The Treecko shrugged, and went back to playing with his Miracle Seed.

"Do you always have to do that?" TA asked. "You've got to be the most indecisive Pokemon I know." As he said this, however, he noticed that Tuner and Hyrem had already come to a decision.

TA stopped. He didn't want to hold things up. "I'll take whatever you guys don't want."

Tuner and Hyrem had decided on taking Surf and Dive, respectively, so TA was left with Fly.

"Okay, then," he said. "Let's go, Nav." The Treecko walked beside him over to the booth, where he glanced at the three Pokeballs. "Here goes nothing," he said as he picked up the ball marked "Fly".

[Tuner89]

We have a joint update this week! Tuner89, Dark Searchman and Treeko's Awesomeness, the three of you will be going separate ways after this week, but this week, the three of you will have a decision to make...


Tuner89, Dark Searchman & Treeko's Awesomeness- It seems as if there's a lot of energy at Mantine Mania today; the normally abandoned amusement park ride seems to have attracted three different trainers and their Pokemon, who will likely liven the place up a little bit. The massive amounts of energy isn't just from human beings, however; whenever more than one living being congregates in Phantom Isle, the spirits of the dead seem to follow them...

The three of you meet unexpectedly in the lobby of Mantine Mania: one, named Tuner, has brought along a mischievous Duskull named Reaper for company. The second trainer, Hyrem, is accompanied by his Ralts and Seedot. The third, known simply as TA, is followed by his Treecko. All three of you are unnerved by the Haunted Theme Park and its ominous aura; being accompanied by two other trainers and their living, breathing Pokemon somewhat alleviates these fears, as you introduce yourselves to the other two young men and their Pokemon. The lobby is dark, dingy and falling into disrepair. Aside from the three of you, no other living being seems to be around. Even so, with the little light around you, the remains of the lobby reveal the formerly innocent nature of this now corrupted, sinister area.

The three of you can gather a great deal of information from the graffiti-covered, damaged signs that surround the lobby, which advertise the ride in its glory days. Mantine Mania was certainly a popular ride before the series of events which tainted the park's wholesome, friendly attitude; after all, the adorable Mantine cars, coupled with the promise of air and sea adventures where plenty of Pokemon could be seen, photographed and even interacted with (from behind the safety glass of the Mantine car's clear top and bottom) made for an incredibly popular attraction for children and their parents alike. The size of the Mantine meant that everyone had to ride individually with only one small Pokemon to accompany them (no bigger than 2 and a half feet tall, weighing no more than 85 lbs.); children loved the independence of having their own cars, away from their parents, and if they knew how to manipulate, convince and/or tantrum enough to get their guardians to indulge them, there was even a special kiosk in the ride lobby where children could rent small Pokemon to keep them company during the ride.

The ride offered three separate experiences, all of which equally popular; one Mantine could "fly" as a means of providing an aerial perspective, which allowed children and trainers to soar above other parts of the ride and get an up-close and personal look at the flying Pokemon who roosted in the ride. The glass bottom adds to the illusion that the child or trainer is flying. The section option, "surf," provided a boat-like Mantine which would float across the water, and allowed the child or trainer to get a decent view of both land and sea, as well as some exciting, flume-like plunges for the more daring, adventurous child. Finally, the "dive" Mantine, which is like a little submarine, allowed for the best view of underwater Pokemon, which often swam right up to the submerged Mantine to say hello.

As the three of you explore the lobby and discuss which path you would most like to experience, weighing potential benefits and dangers, a light suddenly flashes on at the old kiosk where children would pick up rental companions to accompany them on Mantine Mania. As the light goes on, pictures are illuminated of adorable water and flying-type Pokemon, all of whom are in their cute, innocent pre-evolved stages. Pictures of children embracing these Pokemon, feeding them and playfully tugging at their ears and tails are plastered all over the kiosk; a few bouquets of flowers seem to have been recently placed near some of the pictures. A sadness washes over the three of you when you think that some of these children may have since passed from the terrible accident not long after their pictures were taken here. Did the rentals come with them...?

Soon after the blinding light completely shatters the darkness, a shadow appears behind the closed shades of the kiosk. The shades are pulled open by... a fin? It appears that there's a giant Mantine somehow standing upright behind the kiosk, though with no view of its legs, you have no idea how the creature is able to accomplish that. In one of its fins, a styrofoam cup of coffee is tightly held; the Mantine sips the coffee and exhales, muttering something under its breath. The Mantine then notices the three trainers in the lobby, and curls its other fun close to its mouth and coughs to get your attention (as if this whole display didn't attract your attention already). It addresses the three of you with a distinctly feminine, middle-aged voice: "I sincerely apologize for not addressing the three of you sooner. This place is so deserted, I didn't think trainers even came to Mantine Mania anymore! I thought they'd all grown out of it..." She sighs, wistfully. "The three of you seem young at heart. Come over here, won't you?"

The three of you apprehensively approach the Mantine's kiosk, unsure of her motives. She seems to be staring at your Pokemon for some length of time, before shaking her head in disapproval. "Oh, the Pokemon you have with you simply won't do. I have some wonderful companions right here-" She begins to rummage through the kiosk, before producing three Pokeballs, each with a label stuck to the top: One reads "Fly," one reads "Surf," and one reads "Dive". "You can each have one. One path, one Pokemon. You'll have to decide among yourselves who gets what- no releasing them until you get in the mechaMantine, though. Their identity is part of the surprise! Of course, you could always play Charmander-Bulbasaur-Squirtle to see who gets which Pokemon, or see who can nab it first when the others aren't looking... I'm hoping you play nice, though." The Mantine smirks. The smirk is not long-lived, however, as some dark memory seems to come over her that causes her to sigh.

"This place has... changed." The Mantine's eyes seem to darken as she says this. "It's not enough that a companion warms your heart. It must also keep you safe. I trained these little ones myself... They're... they're the only three that came back after, after... well, you know." Tears well up in the strange creature's eyes as she says this. "They don't tell you on the news, but it wasn't just the Ghost Train. Everything seemed to go wrong. Things... things changed. I cannot keep these Pokemon here anymore. It is cruel to keep them locked up in their Pokeballs. They need love as much... if not more... than they need safety. However, as I'm sure you know, nothing is free in life. I'm afraid I can't go on the Mantine ride myself... I get motion sick at the slightest thing, you know. Ironic I'd be working here, huh?" She laughs a bit, though there is a distinct sadness in the gesture. "I need to know what happened to the other rentals. You'll know them by the collars around their necks - you'll see what they look like when you call out your companions. Bring me some closure, or, even better, bring me back some missing Pokemon, and you will be allowed to keep your rental." The Mantine smiles. "I hope the three of you come back... with good news." The pause in that sentence creates a definite feel of uneasiness in the air.

"Well? Which companion will you pick?"

You must each pick a different Pokeball, which will determine your own unique path. I don't care how you decide who gets what, as long as you show me your thought process in your responses. Like Mantine said, try to play nice...

Walking in with his newfound companions TA and Hyrem, Tuner began feeling uneasy.
"Stop screwing around, Reaper!"
"Skull?" Reaper innocently flew right by Tuner's side. He was certainly not responsible for any shenanigans this time.
"Oh... Sorry buddy, I guess i'm just not feeling this place..."
Entering the lobby and looking around, all the pictures of children having fun and playing with the pokemon on the ride suddenly made Tuner feel even worse. 'None of these kids who were playing at the time of the Ghost Train probably made it alive... They're all dead...' As Tuner thought this, the face on one particular child suddenly grew larger, and his tongue stuck out! Tuner jumped back and looked around his companion to help him, but Reaper was no where to be found! The demonic child's face eventually left its body, and Reaper was revealed as the culprit, laughing heartily at his own work.
"Reaper, stop! There's enough scariness here without you muddling things up! Just stay out of trouble!"
Just as these words were spoken, there was a bright light. Moments later, a Mantine appeared before the trio. She seemed to have appeared out of the shadows, without explanation. Tuner quickly had to turn around and confirm Reaper was not behind this. Satisfied, he looked back at the Mantine with disbelief. Mantine explained her plight to the group, and her desire to be reunited with her old rental pokemon, and offered to let us take one to guide us... Fly, Surf, or Dive.

Tuner looked to Reaper for a moment, hoping to find an answer as to which pokemon to select. Reaper simply stared back with his single eye, with a bewildered face, it seems even the ghost pokemon was clueless as to the situation at hand. Sighing, Tuner decided he wanted to take the Surf pokemon, figuring it best to keep his bearing. In air or underwater he'd be completely dependent on this new pokemon, and Tuner wasn't exactly sure that was faith he wanted to immediately invest.

"I'd like to go for 'Surf,'" piped up Hyrem quickly.
"I wanted Surf as well. Really, I'll take whatever you guys don't want. Though I suppose I'd prefer fly over dive." Tuner seemed disappointed, but began weighing the benefits of Fly. He thought of his other pokemon which could aid him on that journey, but ultimately he would rather take the Surfing pokemon. It seemed right."
"I could take Dive instead?" Hyrem's words seemed to seal the fate all three. With a shrug from TA, the order was set. Tuner walked up to the Mantine, and picked up the ball designated 'Surf'.
"I don't want you wandering too far, Reaper. I don't have a good feeling about this place, or these pokemon. Try to stay out of trouble, and out of sight if it comes to it."
"Skull." And with that reply, Tuner set out to his designated portion of the Mantine Mania, ready to fulfill the quest given to him and two others by the Mantine attendant.

[Dark Searchman]

We have a joint update this week! Tuner89, Dark Searchman and Treeko's Awesomeness, the three of you will be going separate ways after this week, but this week, the three of you will have a decision to make...


Tuner89, Dark Searchman & Treeko's Awesomeness- It seems as if there's a lot of energy at Mantine Mania today; the normally abandoned amusement park ride seems to have attracted three different trainers and their Pokemon, who will likely liven the place up a little bit. The massive amounts of energy isn't just from human beings, however; whenever more than one living being congregates in Phantom Isle, the spirits of the dead seem to follow them...

The three of you meet unexpectedly in the lobby of Mantine Mania: one, named Tuner, has brought along a mischievous Duskull named Reaper for company. The second trainer, Hyrem, is accompanied by his Ralts and Seedot. The third, known simply as TA, is followed by his Treecko. All three of you are unnerved by the Haunted Theme Park and its ominous aura; being accompanied by two other trainers and their living, breathing Pokemon somewhat alleviates these fears, as you introduce yourselves to the other two young men and their Pokemon. The lobby is dark, dingy and falling into disrepair. Aside from the three of you, no other living being seems to be around. Even so, with the little light around you, the remains of the lobby reveal the formerly innocent nature of this now corrupted, sinister area.

The three of you can gather a great deal of information from the graffiti-covered, damaged signs that surround the lobby, which advertise the ride in its glory days. Mantine Mania was certainly a popular ride before the series of events which tainted the park's wholesome, friendly attitude; after all, the adorable Mantine cars, coupled with the promise of air and sea adventures where plenty of Pokemon could be seen, photographed and even interacted with (from behind the safety glass of the Mantine car's clear top and bottom) made for an incredibly popular attraction for children and their parents alike. The size of the Mantine meant that everyone had to ride individually with only one small Pokemon to accompany them (no bigger than 2 and a half feet tall, weighing no more than 85 lbs.); children loved the independence of having their own cars, away from their parents, and if they knew how to manipulate, convince and/or tantrum enough to get their guardians to indulge them, there was even a special kiosk in the ride lobby where children could rent small Pokemon to keep them company during the ride.

The ride offered three separate experiences, all of which equally popular; one Mantine could "fly" as a means of providing an aerial perspective, which allowed children and trainers to soar above other parts of the ride and get an up-close and personal look at the flying Pokemon who roosted in the ride. The glass bottom adds to the illusion that the child or trainer is flying. The section option, "surf," provided a boat-like Mantine which would float across the water, and allowed the child or trainer to get a decent view of both land and sea, as well as some exciting, flume-like plunges for the more daring, adventurous child. Finally, the "dive" Mantine, which is like a little submarine, allowed for the best view of underwater Pokemon, which often swam right up to the submerged Mantine to say hello.

As the three of you explore the lobby and discuss which path you would most like to experience, weighing potential benefits and dangers, a light suddenly flashes on at the old kiosk where children would pick up rental companions to accompany them on Mantine Mania. As the light goes on, pictures are illuminated of adorable water and flying-type Pokemon, all of whom are in their cute, innocent pre-evolved stages. Pictures of children embracing these Pokemon, feeding them and playfully tugging at their ears and tails are plastered all over the kiosk; a few bouquets of flowers seem to have been recently placed near some of the pictures. A sadness washes over the three of you when you think that some of these children may have since passed from the terrible accident not long after their pictures were taken here. Did the rentals come with them...?

Soon after the blinding light completely shatters the darkness, a shadow appears behind the closed shades of the kiosk. The shades are pulled open by... a fin? It appears that there's a giant Mantine somehow standing upright behind the kiosk, though with no view of its legs, you have no idea how the creature is able to accomplish that. In one of its fins, a styrofoam cup of coffee is tightly held; the Mantine sips the coffee and exhales, muttering something under its breath. The Mantine then notices the three trainers in the lobby, and curls its other fun close to its mouth and coughs to get your attention (as if this whole display didn't attract your attention already). It addresses the three of you with a distinctly feminine, middle-aged voice: "I sincerely apologize for not addressing the three of you sooner. This place is so deserted, I didn't think trainers even came to Mantine Mania anymore! I thought they'd all grown out of it..." She sighs, wistfully. "The three of you seem young at heart. Come over here, won't you?"

The three of you apprehensively approach the Mantine's kiosk, unsure of her motives. She seems to be staring at your Pokemon for some length of time, before shaking her head in disapproval. "Oh, the Pokemon you have with you simply won't do. I have some wonderful companions right here-" She begins to rummage through the kiosk, before producing three Pokeballs, each with a label stuck to the top: One reads "Fly," one reads "Surf," and one reads "Dive". "You can each have one. One path, one Pokemon. You'll have to decide among yourselves who gets what- no releasing them until you get in the mechaMantine, though. Their identity is part of the surprise! Of course, you could always play Charmander-Bulbasaur-Squirtle to see who gets which Pokemon, or see who can nab it first when the others aren't looking... I'm hoping you play nice, though." The Mantine smirks. The smirk is not long-lived, however, as some dark memory seems to come over her that causes her to sigh.

"This place has... changed." The Mantine's eyes seem to darken as she says this. "It's not enough that a companion warms your heart. It must also keep you safe. I trained these little ones myself... They're... they're the only three that came back after, after... well, you know." Tears well up in the strange creature's eyes as she says this. "They don't tell you on the news, but it wasn't just the Ghost Train. Everything seemed to go wrong. Things... things changed. I cannot keep these Pokemon here anymore. It is cruel to keep them locked up in their Pokeballs. They need love as much... if not more... than they need safety. However, as I'm sure you know, nothing is free in life. I'm afraid I can't go on the Mantine ride myself... I get motion sick at the slightest thing, you know. Ironic I'd be working here, huh?" She laughs a bit, though there is a distinct sadness in the gesture. "I need to know what happened to the other rentals. You'll know them by the collars around their necks - you'll see what they look like when you call out your companions. Bring me some closure, or, even better, bring me back some missing Pokemon, and you will be allowed to keep your rental." The Mantine smiles. "I hope the three of you come back... with good news." The pause in that sentence creates a definite feel of uneasiness in the air.

"Well? Which companion will you pick?"

You must each pick a different Pokeball, which will determine your own unique path. I don't care how you decide who gets what, as long as you show me your thought process in your responses. Like Mantine said, try to play nice...

{I may have taken some liberties with my reply when interacting with the other trainers and their Pokemon. I hope you don't mind, and if you do, I apologize in advance.}

Hyrem, Sera, and Daphne enter the attraction to find another kid who introduced himself as Tuner. He, at least, looked very much alive, but the Pokemon next to him was definitely a Ghost, as detailed by Hyrem's Pokedex:

Duskull, the Requiem Pokemon. It can pass through any wall with ease. Once it chooses a target, it will ruthlessly pursue the victim until daybreak. It is confirmed they will scare misbehaving children to make them cry, but they have been rumored to spirit children away when scaring them fails.

"Yeesh, I'd rather not be on the wrong end of that," remarked Hyrem, but Tuner assured him that while his Duskull, Reaper, will pull pranks at times, he is loyal to his friends. Sera could relate somewhat, as far as Daphne was concerned and put herself between Reaper and Daphne so there wouldn't be any chance of them getting together to plot some sort of nasty prank to pull.

Then from behind Hyrem came yet another boy that looked younger than him. He called himself T.A. and Hyrem's Pokedex helped to introduce the Pokemon on his shoulder:

Treecko, the Wood Gecko Pokemon. Small hooks on its feet allow it to climb walls and ceilings. It can predict the weather by using its tail to sense the humidity around it. Treecko live in trees and will bravely and fiercely defend their territory from even foes bigger than themselves.

"Wow, really cool Pokemon you have there, T.A. It'd be nice if I could have a Treecko someday." The complement was definitely well received by his Treecko, Navi. Being a fellow Grass-type, Daphne expressed affinity towards Navi, and she was glad she wasn't the only one interested in the foliage around here.

Having more company than just two Pokemon, Hyrem certainly felt a little calmer inside this spooky amusement park. Furthermore, Reaper, while mischievous, was at least a valuable ally should they deal with spirits of the dead in the near future. So, having sufficiently introduced themselves to each other, the three trainers decide to take in their surroundings. The lobby was falling apart, and it was very dark; the small amount of light they had only served to illuminate the glory days of Mantine Mania and the darkness that had befallen it since then.

The information signs covered in graffiti told them about how things... used to work around here. It was definitely popular for kids as it allowed them to ride with one small Pokemon rented out to them at the kiosk, and in the three rides labeled "Fly", "Surf", and "Dive" they were able to see and interact with all sorts of Pokemon. That'd be fun for any kid! At least, it would be back in the day.

Now, the pictures on the just lighted kiosk and the fresh flowers next to them served as a grim reminder of what may have happened to these innocent children and possibly a few Pokemon too... While Hyrem and the other trainers were in their thoughts, a giant Mantine "walked" out from behind the curtain; this was presumably the mascot for the ride as no Mantine could stand upright and drink coffee. The mascot spoke with a middle-aged woman's voice, "I sincerely apologize for not addressing the three of you sooner. This place is so deserted, I didn't think trainers even came to Mantine Mania anymore! I thought they'd all grown out of it..." A sigh came from her as she beckoned, "The three of you seem young at heart. Come over here, won't you?"

Hyrem was hesitant in approaching the kiosk and this strange mascot. Great, what could she be up to? he thought. Could this be a ghost? Didn't look like it; otherwise he'd be able to see right through her... right? He wasn't the only hesitant trainer; all three of them were slow in their approach, none of them with any idea of her intentions. Meanwhile, the mascot stared not at the trainers but at their Pokemon and was not satisfied with what she was seeing. "Oh, the Pokemon you have with you simply won't do. I have some wonderful companions right here-" She took out three Pokeballs from the kiosk, each of them appropriately labeled "Fly", "Surf", and "Dive". "You can each have one. One path, one Pokemon. You'll have to decide among yourselves who gets what- no releasing them until you get in the mechaMantine, though. Their identity is part of the surprise! Of course, you could always play Charmander-Bulbasaur-Squirtle to see who gets which Pokemon, or see who can nab it first when the others aren't looking... I'm hoping you play nice, though." The Mantine mascot smiles for a bit, then sighs in a sort of despair as her mood darkens.

"This place has... changed. It's not enough that a companion warms your heart. It must also keep you safe. I trained these little ones myself... They're... they're the only three that came back after, after... well, you know." She starts to cry, her voice breaking as she continued to speak. "They don't tell you on the news, but it wasn't just the Ghost Train. Everything seemed to go wrong. Things... things changed. I cannot keep these Pokemon here anymore. It is cruel to keep them locked up in their Pokeballs. They need love as much... if not more... than they need safety. However, as I'm sure you know, nothing is free in life. I'm afraid I can't go on the Mantine ride myself... I get motion sick at the slightest thing, you know. Ironic I'd be working here, huh?" Her little chuckle only served to darken the mood even further. "I need to know what happened to the other rentals. You'll know them by the collars around their necks - you'll see what they look like when you call out your companions. Bring me some closure, or, even better, bring me back some missing Pokemon, and you will be allowed to keep your rental." The Mantine smiles. "I hope the three of you come back... with good news."

This was exactly what Hyrem came for: it wasn't just adventure he was seeking here, he wanted to help someone in need and hopefully make a new friend out of it. Here was an opportunity to not only help a Pokemon get some exercise but possibly save a few lost Pokemon... or at least discover what had happened to them, and ultimately be able to take the new partner with him on his journey, and he couldn't ask for anything better. "Ma'am," he replied, "it's an honor for me to help."

He then turned to his companions. "Sorry guys, I can't take you with me on this one. I've gotta do this by myself. You two'll be safer in your Pokeballs." Both Sera and Daphne protested, though for two different reasons. "Aw, Daphne, I know you wanted to check out the plants here, but I can let you look at them when I'm done here, kay?" Daphne looked ready to hold him to that promise. "All right, now in you go!" When Daphne finished disappearing inside her Pokeball, he turned to his Ralts. "You too, Sera. I want you out of all my Pokemon to be safe." Ralts continued to protest, alternating between green and orange being transmitted to Hyrem's mind, telling him she felt it was too risky. "Sera, there's nothing changing my mind this time." She still wasn't convinced. "Listen, when I'm done here, I'll still be the person to let you come out again. Also, you and Daphne will be able to meet our new friend!" After a few seconds, she put red into Hyrem's mind but nodded, staring straight at Hyrem while she returned to her Pokeball, as if telling him to be careful.

"Well? Which companion will you pick?" the mascot asked.

Yes, it was time for Hyrem to choose. Fly would allow him to meet all kinds of Flying Pokemon for sure, but Dive would give him the chance at Water Pokemon. Then again, all sorts of Pokemon could use Surf; after all, his Druddigon, Sarkhan, was able to use Surf... maybe he'd get another Dragon?

"I'd like to go for Surf," Hyrem said finally.
"I wanted Surf as well," said Tuner, a bit disappointed. "Really, I'll take whatever you guys don't want. Though I suppose I'd prefer Fly over Dive."
"I'll take what you guys don't want too," added T.A.

Then a thought occurred to Hyrem. Surf had the attraction of some flume-like plunges for the more daring kids. Nowadays... well, he'd rather not run the risk of being hurled straight to his doom. Same went for Fly, really; Hyrem never was much for heights, and even though he hadn't developed acrophobia, he was sure he'd get it from Fly. Dive didn't sound too bad... a nice, relaxing submarine ride, what could possibly come out of that?

"I could take Dive instead..." he said as he changed his mind in favor of giving the thrill ride to Tuner. And from there it was decided: T.A. would take the Fly ride, Tuner got the Surf ride he desired, and Hyrem was ready for the Dive ride. As the three trainers took their respective Pokeballs, wished each other good luck, and walked over to their chosen rides, Hyrem was excited about meeting what could be the very first Water Pokemon on his team, though a non-Water type could certainly appear from the Pokeball he was holding.

[gmoyes]

gmoyes- Ghost Red's blank eyes are intently fixed upon Alex as he does his best to provide a suitable answer for not only the meaning of life, but whether or not life is similar to a game. Receiving inspiration from the Lake Trio and the values they represent, Alex describes the spirit's drives for what are essentially wisdom, courage and empathy; certainly, these three aspects of the human soul are far from meaningless. In addition, Alex dives into the metaphor of life as a game with a level of depth that would make any nerd proud, and admits that while there are definitely parallels between the two, life is ultimately more complicated than any game. The sagacity of his answers not only startles Alex's Pokemon, but also Alex himself; he did not seem to realize that such wisdom lay dormant within him. Alex hopes that by providing a strong and thought-provoking response to Ghost Red's question, the spectral trainer will perhaps spare him from some sort of deadly wrath.

Ghost Red pauses for a moment, as if letting your responses sink in. In that tense moment, Alex and his Pokemon anxiously await his reaction, hoping that he will, perhaps, respect Alex's viewpoint, and maybe even help the trio out. After the long, dreadful pause, a smirk begins to play across Red's face, and he starts snorting a bit, as if holding in laughter. The glare of his pupilless eyes becomes even more unnerving as he responds to Alex's philosophizing; "Here I was thinking you had the flopping, water-logged mind of a Magikarp. Perhaps I was wrong... or perhaps, your mind is evolving right before my eyes." Ghost Red's grin slowly spreads across his face as he speaks. "You know... it's funny, the things we find ourselves saying in the face of death, in those brief, aching moments..." At this comment, Ghost Red breaks out into a full-on laugh. Through bouts of eerie, echoing laughter, he comments: "How funny we are! How deeply, how pitifully we struggle against the inevitable! And yet..." Ghost Red trails off, his laughter subsiding. He raises a hand to his mouth, tapping his chin as if considering something.

"You seek Pokemon, do you not?" For a moment, hope seems to wash over Alex and his Pokemon, as Ghost Red's posture and demeanor suggests that he seems to be considering helping the trio in their endeavors. The expression that suddenly comes across Red's face, however, erases all traces of hope; his smile becomes wider than what any human could physically produce, as his lips seem to curl around his cheeks; his eyes bulge as if about to fall out, and his teeth appear unnaturally sharp as the grin spreads... "I can help you. Ohhhh, I can help you..."

Suddenly, Red's Pikachu begins screaming horrifically from the shadows, as you watch the Pikachu's figure writhe as if in pain; its little feet begin growing and stretching, pulsating and morphing into long, human like legs. Arms burst out of Pikachu's body, with flesh and bodily fluid seeping out of the Pikachu's body as they flail helplessly. Pikachu eventually gains enough control of the arms to crawl, slowly drag itself towards Alex, its bulbous head now visible in the light. the Pikachu turns its face upward; Alex can see now that the Pikachu has no facial features, though the yellow, fur-covered, featureless face is expanding from the inside, as if something is trying to push against it and break out from underneath the surface. The face seems to split horizontally, as if a mouth was forming, and the scream that blasts from it sounds strangely like a young man's... like yours... blood splatters everywhere from the screaming, gaping wound, as something finally emerges from the gash. From the wash of blood, Alex can see his own face bursting from the Pikachu's body. The whole display paralyzes Alex with fear - or perhaps a more supernatural force roots him to the ground where he stands - either way, he is unable to order his Pokemon or perform any actions as the screaming Pikachu morphs into a near-perfect copy of Alex; of course, like Ghost Red, the one major difference is that Ghost Alex has no pupils.

Ghost Alex removes an ebony Pokeball from his belt, looking at the real Alex with a predatory glint in his eye... Activating the Pokeball, he throws it at the real Alex, screaming, "POKEBALL, GO!" A white light blinds Alex as it envelops his entire body, and a feeling like his very being is coming apart cell by cell overwhelms him; once enveloped by light, he is now a part of the light, glowing and formless. He is sucked into the Pokeball, and into utter darkness. Though he instinctively struggles against the pitch-black walls that surround him, an overwhelming sense of fatigue overcomes him, and he finds himself involunarily drifting to sleep within the terrifying confines of Ghost Red's Pokeball. A voice rings through the ominous space, strangely similar to that of Ghost Red: "On my honor as a trainer, the spirits will rest. I will personally make their beds and see that they sleep soundly, for the good of the Isle and for the good of Fizzytopia!" The roar of an excited croud applauding and cheering fades with Alex's consciousness as he falls asleep.

A distant shout eventually awakens Alex from his slumber, as the blinding light once again flashes over his eyes, and indeed, his entire being. He awakens in a pixelated world, where everything is red and white, and everything from the rock walls to the pebble sprites indicate to Alex that, somehow, he seems to have been transported into the very first Pokemon game. The exit of the mysterious cave is within a few steps of where Alex is... floating? Something definitely doesn't feel right. A pixelated version of Ghost Alex is staring at him, with a text bubble underneath saying, "Good job, ALEX! We're almost there!" Ghost Alex's sprite takes a step towards the exit, and a familiar flashing of lights and sound effect indicating a wild encounter overwhelms the cave. Suddenly, the entire environment melts into blank nothingness, as Alex and Ghost Alex come face to face with a pixelated version of Geodude, fists curled into a fighting stance. A text bubble suddenly appears in front of the pair: "A wild GEODUDE appeared!" Ghost Alex's voice rings out: "Go, ALEX!" Alex finds himself inexplicably shouting "PORYGON" and jumping into battle... From the text box that appears inexplicably beside Alex in the empty, white space, Alex can see that he is Level 12, that Ghost Alex wants him to FIGHT, and that he knows Agility, Psybeam, Tackle and Conversion. Ghost Alex has selected Agility to begin the battle. Will Alex obey the command, or will he follow his own orders?

Alex gave a little grin to himself when the copy Red first spoke. He managed to impress the ghost, that should score him some brownie points. Though it said that he did it in the face of death. Did that mean that if he didn't answer right he would have been killed? Well he passed that test so he didn't have to worry about that, but he was getting more unnerved by the minute.

And then it asked if he was looking pokemon. Alex gave a nervous nod, there we indeed looking to expand their squad. It seemed that the Red clone wanted to help, which would be useful. Have something that knew the area would be of great aid.

And then it grinned.

The first thing that sprang to Alex's mind was the Chesire cat. The ghost probably could do the same disappearing act as the feline, though he knew nothing good could come from it. This was a trap. He took a step back but stopped and cringed as the piercing screech of the Pikachu rang out. He paused to look at it and almost lost his lunch. He was proud of his stomach but even the most hardened stomachs would be unsettled at the sight in front of him. The electric rodent in front of him was changing in the most horrid way possible. Blood spewed everywhere as limbs burst out of its body. He quickly looked away and covered his eyes to wait it out. Another scream rang out, this one sounding all too human and familiar.

As the sounds of writhing died down, Alex took a peek over his arm to see what horrid monster the creature had morphed itself into. The thing before him was familiar and shocking. The thing had turned into...

Himself.

It was like looking in a mirror, everything was exact. His glasses, the clothes it was wearing, the hair that should have been cut a couple weeks ago, even the scruffy sideburns and pimples were the same. It was exactly him except for the eyes. It got those from copy Red. He wanted to get the hell out of there but he couldn't move. He caught the eye of his companions and could tell they couldn't budge either. Terror gripped Alex. What where they going to do? Kill him and have some sort of demon take his place?

And then his copy pulled out a white pokeball, sort of like the Permier Ball that housed his own Bronzor. He was confused for a moment. If they wanted to kill him, why were they about to battle him? But instead of releasing a pokemon, his clone threw it straight at him. He was even more confused. Were they trying to catch him? That wasn't possible, pokeballs were programmed so that they couldn't ever-

And then is struck him enveloping him in a white light.

Alex was stunned for a moment and his body dissoved into energy. The pokeball worked? It was impossible! But even so, he was drawn into the pokeball and his sences shut off. Inside, he was only aware of his own mind and the surrounding void. He quickly filed the feeling of being caught away and started struggling, trying to probe a way out with is mind and crying for help. "Theta! Bronzor! Help! Anyone?" No help came but the voice of the Red clone rang out proclaiming rest for the spirits of the island. He had no clue what that had to do with his predicament, rest seemed to be a good idea. There was certainly nothing else to do and trying to thing about it wouldn't help. There was nothing there to discomfort him so his usual insomnia wasn't as apparent.

Alex woke up in a flash of light and found himself in a completely alien world, yet one that looked familiar. Everything was in a pixilated white and red. There wasn't shading, things were either a uniform red, pink or white. Turning around, feeling a little dizzy, he saw is copy in the same pixilated colour scheme as the rest of the world. They seemed to be in some sort of cave. Just then he realized that something didn't feel right about his body. He looked down to examine himself.

And found himself hovering a full meter above the ground.

He was stunned and he faultered for a moment and dipped towards the ground before he recovered. "What the hell?" he said aloud but it came out in some sort of garbled tone. He looked at himself and realized he had turned into a Porygon. He had been a fan of the species and always wanted one for himself, but he had never imagened turning into one himself. Porygon was the first virtual pokemon, created by using the pokeball technology of turning matter into information and energy in reverse. While not the first manmade pokemon, the Golett and Baltoy lines had that honour, but those ancient pokemon involved spirits inhabiting madmade items. Everything in a Porygon was programmed, which led to disputes about if the species had a 'soul'. His studies of non-biological were far reaching, but it wasn't enough unless he got first-hand experiance. Well this was about as first hand as he could get.

As his mind twisted around the impossiblity of his situation, he saw some sort of screen below his copy reading 'Good job ALEX! We're almost there!' Alex inwardly grimaced, seeing as he currently didn't have a mouth to display it outwardly. His clone though of him as its pokemon and it, his trainer. In a sort of twisted way 'he' did catch one of dream pokemon. As his copy took a step towards a small archway, red lights flashed before his eyes and found himself in a wide expanse of white, confronted by a blocky Geodude frozen in a fighting pose. A low rumbling tone came from the rock type, followed by a screen displaying 'A wild GEODUDE appeared!'

There was a shout from his non-visible clone calling him into battle even though he was already there. A high garbled pitch excaped from him and a screen of his own popped up. It was right then and there he realized where he was.

He was inside one of the original pokemon games.

This must be all a big illusion put on by whatever was behind the Red copy. Whatever its game was, he was playing a major part in it. As his copy made orders, Alex analyzed the situation for himself. He had a little side note for himself; he figured that if a person turned into a pokemon, they would be at the same level as their age. Just one of the many things he thought about, but there were more pressing matters to attend to.

His clone wanted him to use Aglity, though it took him a moment to realize that he didn't have to follow orders. The choice to boost up before attacking was a common stratagy and increasing speed and the ablity to dodge would be useful, it wasn't the best stratagy here. It might work in real life but of course, this wasn't real life. Porygon were faster than Geodude and he had two levels on his opponent. Also he doubted he would be able to dodge, in the games pokemon always sat like bumps on a log waiting to be attacked. He would try of course but it would probably be breaking the rules. So with one move out, he thought about his other options. Tackle would hardly leave a dent in the rock type so that was a no go. Conversion would change him into one of the types of his moves, so if he used it it would change him into a psychic type seeing as he was already a normal type. That would give his Psybeam a boost. So he should be able to win if he used Conversion then kept spamming it with Psybeam, no matter what his copy wanted him to do otherwise.

But then came the problem that he had no clue how to use his attacks. Tackle was obviously a no-brainer, but how did pokemon pull off special attacks? He tried to remember pictures about Porygon using their Conversion attack. They seemed to focus and then a glow of energy surrounded them corresponding to what ever type they turned into. So following their example, Alex closed his eyes and thought about everything psychic, from pokemon to attacks, always coming back to the fact he knew Psybeam. He hoped to Arceus that it would work, he worried about what would happen if he lost.

[Balmund]

Balmund- Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. The famous quote by Mark Twain seems especially true for Balmund at this moment, as he makes his way toward one of the most fear-inducing rides of Phantom Isle's Haunted Theme Park: Rollerquaza. Balmund certainly has plenty to fear, especially without the company of his trusted Pokemon. After all, this ride in particular is one of the few with the distinction of being frightening even before the terrifying and tragic Ghost Train incident, and those events have only made the ride that much more intimidating and fearsome. To make matters worse, the spirits who have invaded the park often pull life-threatening pranks for their own amusement. After all, to the dead, the fear of the living is incredibly amusing, and unfortunately for the brave dragon tamer, the spirits love to laugh, and will go to great lengths for entertainment. That said, Balmund reasons that what doesn't kill him makes him stronger, and decides that Rollerquaza will be an excellent test of his own bravery in the face of extreme danger. It is hard to say whether Balmund's decision to keep his Pokemon in their balls is an act of love and protection, or simply an act of intense foolishness in hopes of proving his own bravery. Perhaps it's a little of both.

As Balmund approaches the ominous thrill ride, he notices that the line is extending out the door. For a moment, he mutters to himself about the long wait, before suddenly realizing that something is not right about this whole scene; looking up again, the entire line of people has vanished. Attributing the vision to a trick of the eye, Balmund moves forward, up and down winding staircases and through mazelike rooms painted to look like a sky filled with legendaries and dragon Pokemon; it is clear that these rooms and staircases once housed terribly long lines, like the one he previously thought he had seen. Eventually, he makes his way to the end of the line, and a Rayquaza-shaped roller coaster car is waiting for him. It appears that this is car #10. Seems as if Lady Luck favors you; the car looks clean, well-kept and without any apparent mechanical flaws. Even so, it is a bit unnerving that directly above the ride, a sign reminds boarding passengers that "This is your last chance to turn back," with an arrow pointing to the exit. Considering all the events that have befallen the park, and the sinister turn the ride has taken, this sign has become even more foreboding.

At first, Balmund doesn't notice the strange being standing at the podium; however, he soon realizes that there is what appears to be a person in a giant Rayquaza costume at the control panel, staring at Balmund from behind the Rayquaza mask. Mascots, admittedly, are creepy under normal circumstances, but the presence of one here is just that much more unnerving. The strange thing about this costume is that one would assume that the silouhette of a face could be seen behind the mesh Rayquaza mouth, but it appears as if no one is inside the costume, despite the fact that it is standing upright and has the aura of being alive. Perhaps the mesh is simply too thick to see through. Either way, the Rayquaza gives Balmund a quick once-over before wordlessly giving him a thumbs up, followed by a silent point towards the ride.

If Balmund wants to turn back, or do anything before getting on the ride, this is his last chance. What will be his course of action?

Approaching the line, Balmund notices a long line extending out the door; a very irregular sight. Balmund was aware he probably wasn't the only brave adventurer exploring the haunted park right now, and to see so many people gathered here was puzzling to say the least. In a blink of an eye however, the line vanishes, and Balmund carefully observes the scene to make sure he wasn't just seeing things. Deciding it probably was his imagination, he moves forward into the building, and while a part of him knew that what he saw wasn't a mere illusion, it was better for his mental sanity to believe otherwise. Still, he couldn't keep himself from whispering the occasional 'excuse me' and 'coming through' as he made his way through the maze-like rooms that lead to the cars themselves.

With the rooms all neatly decorated with images of legendary and dragon Pokémon, it seemed to Balmund that they were arranged in such a way so as to tell a story regarding the central theme of this attraction, but he decided to not give it too much though,as he was more surprised about the sheer length of the stairways and pathways. Back in the day, they probably housed terribly long lines, and chances are, they still do, though perhaps not with the kind of passengers Balmund would want to sit with.

Finally reaching the end of the line, Balmund notices the Rayquaza shaped roller-coaster waiting for him, looking impecably clean, well-kept and functional. The sense of relative security it provided was reassuring, but more likely than not, it would be more like a pretty gift holding a deadly bomb within. The presence of a sign above reminding passengers to turn back while they still can only further fuel Balmund's anxiety, and while once upon a time it was probably amusing and innocent enough, in its current context it was likely an advice best followed.

Looking up at the podium, Balmund notices a person in a giant Rayquaza costume handling the control panel, staring back at Balmund with that creepy unreadable mask mascots wear. Mascots had always creeped Balmund out, and they were right up there on the list with clowns and mimes. Though Balmund could feel it was alive, it was hard to tell if there actually was a human being within, and in all honesty, Balmund prefered not to know. As the Rayquaza gives Balmund a thumbs up before silently pointing towards the ride, Balmund nods silently before turning towards the car, trying not to outwardly show his inner fears and axieties. Taking a deep breath, he pulls out his Seviper's Pokéball and kisses it gently before putting it back in its place. Whatever happens now was up to the whims of the island, Balmund thought to himself as he headed to the foremost row of the Rollerquaza.

[Shadowshocker]

Shadowshocker- Ever since the horrific events of the Ghost Train, it seems as if a persistent chill has gripped Phantom Isle, sending shudders down the spines of those who visit. Shadow, Scherza and Dahlia are no exceptions, as they weather the frosty atmosphere in order to explore the long-since abandoned Phantom Isle Hotel. Shadow admires the opulence and beauty of the hotel's exterior, as one of the birds on his shoulders squaks away, while the other silently broods. Shadow opens the door to the Lobby cautiously, hoping that he will be prepared for whatever dangers he might face. Shadow intimately understands the risks that present themselves with every adventure, and inwardly vows to himself to do his best to keep himself and his Pokemon safe. Taking a deep breath, Shadow take his first steps into the hotel, balanced on either side by his companions.

Though the power has long since been shut off, enough natural light from the Lobby windows seeps through to give Shadow and his Pokemon a good view of the area into which they have entered. The Lobby of the Phantom Isle Hotel is a fascinating look into the history of the Isle; the Edwardian architectural themes that pervade throughout the hotel hint at a construction date in the early 1900s, and the architects certainly spared no expense at making the Phantom Isle Hotel look gorgeous. The beautiful marble floors, impressive archways, ebony chandeliers and elegantly carved walls and ceilings are astounding to behold. In contrast to the stately, historic presence of the architectural aspects of the Lobby, giant posters scattered around the Lobby advertise theme park rides in bright colors and obnoxious computer-generated font. From Rollerquaza to Mantine Mania for nearly every park ride. Off to the side, a room filled with small chairs, toys and a broken television hints at the changes the Phantom Isle Hotel had to make in later years to accomodate for the clientele attracted by the Phantom Isle Amusement Park. Signs pointing to dining rooms, arcade rooms, boutiques and more appear in every archway. Certainly, there should be plenty to explore here.

As Shadow and his bird companions walk cautiously into the lobby, one of the chandeliers above Shadow's head begins to violently shake, as if an earthquake had suddenly struck. Strangely, however, none of the other objects in the lobby seem to be reacting to the tremors. The shaking becomes so intense that the chandelier frees itself from the chain that attached it to the wall. Though Shadow and his Pokemon duck out of the way to avoid being hit by a falling chandelier, the chandelier strangely does not come crashing down; instead, it gently floats towards the ground, its candles lighting one by one of their own volition. Finally, the center light of the chandelier becomes illuminating, revealing the strange object to be a Chandelure. The Pokemon gives Shadow a wry smile and seems to bow, as if welcoming him and his Pokemon. In the soft flicker of the Chandelure's lights, Shadow can make out the vague silhouette of a person, even though he could have sworn there was no one else in the area. The ghostlike image plays in and out of Shadow's vision until it disappears entirely. Chandelure notices that Shadow has seen some sort of spectre, and chuckles a bit.

"My lights illuminate more than just darkness," says a strange voice emanating from the candle-covered Pokemon. "I am willing to light your path if you can prove that you are strong enough to face the dangers that lie ahead. If you wish to go forward, one of your Pokemon must defeat me first." The Chandelure's eyes narrow as it assumes a battle pose. "If you do not wish to accept my challenge, I suggest you turn back." The Chandelure looks tough, but will Shadow try to prove that he is tougher?

The phenomenon of talking Pokemon was somewhat common amongst adventurers, but the encounter was a first for Shadow. The scientist's brief of Unovan species made note of the Chandelure family's ability to seal away the soul of their victims, but so far, this particular specimen appeared to be diplomatic in his approach. And at any rate, Shadow was willing to accept any friendly assistance that presented itself - it was unlikely that Pokemon were the only entities roaming the hotel - but who would combat the luring light?

"Squawk! A new challenger has arrived! Squawk!" Scherza cawed, just as Dahlia ruffled her blazing feathers. The latter cast a death glare of nothing but severe loathing while the floating Fire-type gazed back at her, serenely and sinisterly. "Are you certain?" asked the scientist. "I know you've never taken well to spirits ever since that Hallowe - ouch!" Reflexively Shadow backpedalled a few steps as pain dug into his earlobe; Dahlia having nipped at it with her beak before angrily taking flight off his shoulder. "Alright, I get it." It was clear that Dahlia was determined to not let anything, her Trainer or otherwise, get in her way. "Ominous Wind to Air Cutter, then take it into a Drill Peck."

"Krrrrr," growled Dahlia, almost as if to say "Don't tell me what to do, idiot; I can think for myself."

"Go get 'em cowboy!" screeched Scherza.

[uhhhhh]

uhhhhh- Gaspard is quick to sense something sinister about the balloon, which sends shivers down his little monkey spine. Though Connor is quick to comfort his Pokemon and provide extra warmth, he misses the hint that his Pokemon is giving that this balloon may be more than just a simple little parlor trick. Connor takes the purple balloon and thanks the man for the gift before tying the balloon to his wrist, grabbing his camera and moving forward. The balloon man gives Connor an eerie wink. "You are most welcome, my young friend. Enjoy." The balloon man slowly walks toward the entrance with the rest of his balloon bouquet, presumably looking to offer his wares to anyone else who may enter the mirror-filled attraction.

The maze is maddeningly difficult; deceitful reflections and dead-end pathways are everywhere, and Connor finds himself banging into mirrors far more often than he'd like. Throughout his experience, the balloon's reflection remains completely missing. Indeed, even with the balloon in Connor's possession, it is difficult to figure out how such a trick is being accomplished. Is it something to do with light? Is it the material with which the balloon is made? Was this particular funhouse designed in such a way that balloons do not reflect in the mirrors? Did they manage to fit a ghost Pokemon in there? All sorts of explanations float through Connor's head, each one more absurd and lacking in plausibility than the last. Certainly, the balloon itself was a puzzle.

Perhaps a confusing mirror-maze was not the best choice for a man who already lacks a sense of direction; the more he moves through the maze, the more lost he becomes. As Connor turns one of many corners that he has faced within this place, he finds himself face-to-face with a mirror (big surprise). However, Connor notices immediately that something is wrong with this particular reflection, especially after staring at his own reflection in various angles for some time. For some reason, Gaspard is not being reflected in this particular mirror; only Connor's reflection remains. As Connor studies the reflection to figure out what's going on, he is horrified to see his own reflection scream as the balloon appears in the reflection, the strings tied around Connor's throat, choking him. Blood drips from the strings as they progressively tighten, cutting through his throat. Bloody coughs turning into wheezes, and then nothing at all... Mirror-Connor drops to the floor, and the balloon, which has an obvious hole, appears to be draining something out of Connor through the hole before growing little button-eyes, a cottony puff on its head and tiny, yellow feet...

The vision is horrifying, and Connor immediately reaches for his neck, finding that he is not being assailed in the real world. The balloon, still tied to his wrist, appears in reality to still be a normal, everyday balloon, despite its lack of reflection. Perhaps this is one of those "parallel universes" that Connor was considering earlier in the House of Mirrors. No matter what the explanation, the vision is incredibly disturbing, and Gaspard seems even more horrified than Connor; this is his beloved trainer, after all. The two don't have very long to think about it, however, as the reflections around them show a pair of scissors flying toward Connor. Indeed, when Connor turns around, it appears that a Drifloon is flying towards Connor as fast as it can go, sharp scissors held within its yellow feet, aiming right for Connor's balloon! How does he react?

As Connor and Gaspard proceeds through the mirror maze, the duo can't help but get themselves lost in a maze filled with tricky reflections and many dead-ends. "Wait, haven't we been here before?" said Connor who faced himself in a dead-end yet again, "I could have sworn I took a left turn back there... let's turn back Gaspa-OW!" he shouted as he banged himself in the mirror for the fourteenth time today. "Geez, not again... gah that still hurts," Connor said as he felt his nose again. Gaspard just stared at the balloon, still feeling unnerved about it.

"You know, this balloon is really something you know? We've already been going around in circles with this thing yet I haven't seen a mirror reflecting it," Connor said as he held the balloon in front of him. "How does this happen? Is it the light? The material? Was this house of mirrors made specifically for this trick? A ghost Pokemon did it? Did that old man mess up with our vision somehow that makes us see balloons now?" Connor asked Gaspard the former shaking his head at the absurdity, "No... all of those sound too absurd, even on my standards!" he added while banging on yet another mirror. Both were grasping their heads due to headache, one was from bashing into another mirror yet again, the other from the many questions Connor had asked. "Owowowow..." "Ai-aipom..." like Pokemon, like trainer they say.

As the duo continued on the maze, they find themselves face-to-face with a mirror. "Oh look Gaspard, another mirror... hmmm?" Connor blinked when he realized something about the mirror. "Hey Gaspard, where's your reflection?" Connor looked down at his partner who just stared at the mirror with his eyes wide. The little monkey just pointed at the mirror with his tail-hand. Connor just looked at the mirror and realizes that he also can see the balloon's reflection now. "Oh look, it's the balloon! Strange that you're not here though. Just how does this place do that?" Connor asked to particularly no one.

What happened next frightened both Pokemon and trainer. The balloon's string was choking his reflection now, with blood drips coming out of him now as the string tightened. His refection coughed and wheezed until the refection drops to the floor, dead. A hole then appears in front of the balloon and appears to be draining something out of the reflection. Connor and Gaspard were too frightened at what they saw, with Connor feeling his neck, releived that it isn't actually happening to him and looked at the balloon on his wrist, which still looked normal for now. Connor felt something else that was strange however. His head ached not because of bashing from too many mirrors but something else. "What else is this I'm feeling... Why am I feeling like this? A memory?" Connor thought as a blurry image somehow flashed through his eyes on an unfamiliar place. "Where is this...?" Connor thought.

It was then that Gaspard tried to get the photographer to get back to his senses, obviously worried about his friend. "Oh sorry, I spaced out just now. Thanks Gaspard." Connor smiled though inwardly was still disturbed by the two images. The two didn't have time to react however, as reflections of a pair of scissors were flying around them and as Connor turned, it turns out that a Drifloon was heading towards Connor with scissors in its hands while heading to the tied balloon! Gaspard didn't wait for his trainer's orders and attempted to be a Thief and steal the scissors from it then tries to attack it with two Pursuits.

[takkupanda]

takkupanda- Marcelo, noting the Yamask's sadness, decides to ask her what's wrong and inquire as to her ability to speak human language. It seems like a reasonable thing to ask; after all, based on the description that Marcelo's Pokedex provided, this creature was once a living human being. The little Yamask does not answer right away; she seems distracted and delighted by the fact that Broly and Marcelo are willing to let her pet the puppy, and she does so awkwardly, but gently. The mask turns upward at Broly, and the mouth of the mask begins to move: "Puppy! I love you, puppy!" The Yamask's Pokemon face than lets out a small giggle. She seems quite content to be with the dog, and trusts both Broly and his trainer with a strangely childlike innocence. After spending a short time petting Broly across the head and back, the human-faced mask once again decides to speak, only this time to Marcelo.

"I can't forget stuff. I try real hard, but nope." Tears well up in the Yamask's red eyes as the mask, in contrast, speaks in a cheerful tone, with the joyful expression of the mask unchanged. "Mama Coffee helps sometimes. We all play games. You wanna see?" She points towards the faraway Mantine Mania station. "That's where I live, with the others. Oh, don't tell anyone I talked to you. Mama Coffee says we speak Yamask now." The Yamask shudders. "I don't like it. I have a face! A person face! I have a name too, but I'm not s'pos'ta say it!" The mask appears to be shouting, and though the tone and expression of the mask's voice is carefree, the Yamask face appears to be in an unreal amount of pain. The Yamask balls her fists up, seemingly overcome with rage and sadness, before she seems to calm herself by distracting herself with Broly again. "Fuzzy pup-py, fuzzy pup-py~" she sings, patting him on the head. She then says to Broly, "You and your owner need'a see where I live! Last one there's a rotten Exeggcute!" The Yamask begins floating toward the station she previously indicated as "home". Broly charges off after her, and Marcelo is forced to follow.

The trio run along the tracks for a while before coming to the Mantine Mania station. The delapidated station is completely boarded up, and the place is surrounded by an incredibly sinister aura. The giant Mantine depicted on top of the station has the same glassy-eyed look as the one in the billboard Marcelo saw earlier, and it seems to have the same eerie quality that makes Marcelo feel as if he is being watched. The Yamask shouts something in Yamask language, which emanates from the dark Pokemon head, and while Marcelo does not understand what is being said, Broly seems to get the idea that Yamask is asking a question to someone inside, and punctuates the end of Yamask's shout with a cheerful bark. In response to the two Pokemon, one of the boards comes loose, and Yamask floats toward the opening. It appears to be just large enough for Marcelo to crawl through with some effort. She makes a motion for Marcelo and Broly to follow her inside this strange and creepy-looking place. Will the two agree to follow her in, or will they take a different course of action?

As Marcelo waited for the Yamask to answer, he noticed that she was too busy petting Broly. Broly liked it too as she gently stroked his fur. Then, the mask spoke: "Puppy! I love you, Puppy!" and Marcelo was shocked for a moment as he hadn't expected the Pokemon's mouth to be there. She continued to pet Broly innocently.

Then, she turned toward Marcelo and spoke to him, but it did not quite make much sense. It seemed as if the Pokemon had the memory from the past and the mask was referring to her memories from the previous life. It was as if the Pokemon and the mask were two different beings. They reflected completely contrasting expressions. It was as if the mask had not grown or remembered what happened after her death, whereas the Pokemon did, and the experience must have been traumatic.. and that was probably what it was crying about! Marcelo shuddered briefly as he watched the mask speak about her home and how she is treated there. He felt pity for the poor little Pokemon. Broly, on the other hand, was enjoying all the attention he was getting and didn't bother to pay attention to what she was saying and how strange it felt!

Then, suddenly, the mask joyously invited the two over to her home and set off in the direction of the Mantine Mania station. Broly gaily followed and Marcelo had to follow. They came up to the Mantine Mania station, a place that looked closed for a while now with boards everywhere. There was a gigantic Mantine again which had similar eyes as the one they saw before and Marcelo felt really uncomfortable once again.

The Yamask then exclaimed something that sounded as if it was in the Yamask language, this time the sound coming from the head as Marcelo had previously expected. He was now more than sure about his theory about the split personalities that Yamasks had. Broly joyously barked at the end of whatever the Yamask said. One of the boards came loose and opened up a gap that was just big enough for Marcelo to fit in. The Yamask then invited the two inside with a weird gesture and went inside. Broly started happily following her when Marcelo stopped Broly and whispered, "Hey, are you sure about this? This place looks really creepy! There is no place around where we can run if we get into trouble..." But Broly knew what he was doing. He nodded and rubbed his cheek on Marcelo's thigh as if to encourage him. "Okay... let's go" Marcelo said hesitantly after a moment of thought and the two followed the Yamask through the opening.

[Marion Ette]

Treeko's Awesomeness- TA's position in the negotiations is that of indifference, stating that he will take whichever Pokeball the other two trainers don't want. Though not a very assertive position, it is one that facilitates the decision-making process for the other two trainers, who appear slightly more opinionated in terms of which Pokeball would be best for them. Hyrem and Tuner each decide on their respective pokeballs, leaving TA with the only one left: "Fly". TA is the last one to receive his companion, with the other two trainers already inspecting their pokeballs a short distance away from the kiosk. The Mantine chuckles softly as he approaches to pick up his pokeball, and mutters, so that only TA can hear, "Seems as if your path was decided for you, huh? How appropriate, floating wherever the wind may take you..." The Mantine looks at the Pokeball in TA's hand. "You two will get along, I think." With that statement, Mantine closes the curtain of the kiosk, and the lights grow dim again. With all three trainers having received their own companion, they say their goodbyes to one another and wish each other luck as they each split up to pursue their own path.

For TA, the path leads to a Mantine whose fins are shaped like airplane wings; "MANTINE AIRLINES" is painted on the side of the flyer, and the little Remoraid attached to one of the Mantine's "wings" is painted to look like it is wearing a pilot outfit. TA opens the door to the mechaMantine flyer, which appears to have been recently repainted and refreshed, though it is unclear as to who would provide such services. A sign above the mechaMantine encourages trainers to recall their Pokemon, assuring that it is for the Pokemon's safety and that companions can be called out soon after the ride departs. After recalling Treecko, TA steps in, closes the door behind him and sits down, inspecting the Pokeball he has recently received. It appears as if the "Fly" label on the Pokeball peels back to reveal a note:

I honestly did not expect this little one to survive. That she would make it at all, let alone be the only one to make it out alive from this section, is almost inconceivable. Clinging to a broken, burning Mantine that somehow managed to make its way back to the boarding dock, she managed to float into my arms before the fire spread to where she clang. Perhaps it is not a strong offense that allows one to survive, or the ability to swiftly fly away from danger, but the ability to Endure all attacks that come one's way. Barely clinging to life when I found her, she has since been nursed back to health. Before her ordeal, children loved being in the fly car with her; not only was she an adorable Pokemon, but the wonder and joy with which she regarded the other flying-type Pokemon around her rivaled that of the children, making her a perfect ridemate. Even now, she longs to fly just as much as you do; let her be your eyes, and she will lift you above danger.

As TA reads the message on his Pokeball, the mechaMantine slowly begins moving forward through a tunnel with a series of paintings depicting a cartoon Mantine swimming in the water, than surfacing, than taking off in the air like a bird. At the end of the tunnel, the Mantine lifts into the air; the clear bottom of the mechaMantine, which previously gave TA a view of the floor, now shows what appears to be an indoor forest of trees and small waterways in the dim light. The light sources, which used to provide sunlight-esque luminescence for this part of the ride, are mostly broken, with only a few lights seeming to work in this area. With most of the ride plunged in darkness, it's hard to tell what might be out there in terms of Pokemon, though the whole place is eerily quiet.

A light comes on, indicating that TA can now call out a companion if he chooses. Now may be a good time for TA to call out his new companion, or choose to call out one of his other Pokemon (that meets the height and weight requirements, of course). Which will he choose?


Tuner89- After giving the decision some thought, Tuner ultimately decides that he wants the Pokemon in the "Surf" Pokeball. The decision is one that implies a great deal of caution; after all, he would be completely dependent on this Pokemon were anything to go wrong in air or underneath the water, and things could very easily go wrong in either environment if the mechaMantine were to fail. With the surf ride, however, he would not have to worry as much about crashing from a great height or drowning in the water; thus, his dependence on the Pokemon would not be as great, provided he could swim to shore should he topple out of the Mantine boat. Though Hyrem is the first to try to claim this path, and the companion that goes along with it, Tuner mentions that he would like Surf as well, though he indicates his willingness to take what others do not want. With Hyrem's decison to take Dive instead, Tuner's first choice becomes his destiny.

Tuner is the second to take his Pokeball, right after Hyrem. The Mantine smiles gently as Tuner picks up his Pokeball, and whispers to him; "A safe choice, you think? One could never be too cautious in this place, after all..." Tuner steps back to let TA take his Pokeball, after which the Mantine closes the curtain to the kiosk, the lights behind the curtain becoming dim once again. With all three trainers having received their own companion, they say their goodbyes to one another and wish each other luck as they each split up to pursue their own path.

For Tuner, the path leads to a chubby-looking Mantine, who floats on the surface of the water. Unlike the fly and dive rides which have clear, enclosed ceilings, the surf ride has an open top, exposing the trainer to the air and allowing Pokemon to jump on and off the boat. "S.S. Mantine" is painted on the side of the boat, and the little Remoraid attached to one of the Mantine's "wings" is painted to look like it is wearing a pirate outfit. Tuner opens the door to the mechaMantine boat, which appears to have been recently repainted and refreshed, though it is unclear as to who would provide such services. A sign above the mechaMantine encourages trainers to recall their Pokemon, assuring that it is for the Pokemon's safety and that companions can be called out soon after the ride departs. After recalling Reaper, Tuner steps in, closes the door behind him and sits down, inspecting the Pokeball he has recently received. It appears as if the "Surf" label on the Pokeball peels back to reveal a note:

This little one crawled through the "Surf" tunnel, sopping wet and nearly out of breath. They had taught him how to surf so that he may entertain the children with adorable antics alongside the Mantine boat. I imagine that skill, along with the ability to Charm those who might attack him, were the keys to his survival. A long time ago, he loved the water, and enjoyed playfully splashing the children before jumping on them, giving them a big, wet hug. Always the cautious one, he avoids the water now, but he will jump back in at the drop of the hat if it means saving a trainer or Pokemon.

As Tuner reads the message on his Pokeball, the mechaMantine slowly begins floating forward through a tunnel, which shows a series of paintings depicting a cartoon Mantine swimming on the surface of the water before a Gyarados roars up from beneath the surface and directly in the Mantine's path; the Mantine waves happily with its fin at the Gyarados, and the Gyarados smiles and waves back with its tail. At the end of the tunnel is a waterway, surrounded on both sides by forest. The glass-bottom boat is illuminated at the bottom, but thus far, the waters seem calm and empty. The light sources, which used to provide sunlight-esque luminescence for the area above water, are mostly broken, with only a few lights seeming to work. With most of the ride plunged in darkness, it's hard to tell what might be out there in terms of Pokemon, though the whole place is eerily quiet.

A light comes on, indicating that Tuner can now call out a companion if he chooses. Now may be a good time for Tuner to call out his new companion, or choose to call out one of his other Pokemon (that meets the height and weight requirements, of course). Which will he choose?


Dark Searchman- If the others don't have a problem with your characterization of them, then I have no problem with it.

Hyrem is the first to state what he wants; in his mind, going for the "Surf" Pokeball meant that all kinds of Pokemon could be waiting for him, both in the ride and in the Pokeball. After all, the types of Pokemon that learn Surf are more diverse than those who learn Fly or Dive, and the possibility of getting a Dratini or Horsea is especially appealing. Tuner also indicates that he wants the Surf Pokeball, which causes Hyrem to reconsider his choice. Unlike Tuner, who sees Surf as the safest option, Hyrem sees the flume-like drops and open-air car of the Mantine as potential dangers, and reconsiders his choice. In fact, the idea of falling to one's death in general seems to disconcert Hyrem. Deciding on the Dive option, his choice not only allows for Tuner to get his first choice, but also seals the deal for everyone.

Hyrem is the first to receive his Pokeball, and Mantine's words for the trainer are short, yet ominous; "Be careful," is all she says. Suddenly, Hyrem's choice is sounding far less safe than before. Hyrem steps back to let Tuner and TA take their Pokeballs, after which the Mantine closes the curtain to the kiosk, the lights behind the curtain becoming dim once again. With all three trainers having received their own companion, they say their goodbyes to one another and wish each other luck as they each split up to pursue their own path.

For Hyrem, the path leads to a positively plump-looking Mantine submerged beneath the water, with a little periscope above the surface coming out of its head. Atop the periscope, a Remoraid with a sea captain's outfit is depicted as looking out at the world with its own handheld telescope. Hyrem walks across a small plank which leads to an open door atop the mechaMantine submarine, which appears to have been recently repainted and refreshed, though it is unclear as to who would provide such services. Hyrem steps in, closes the door behind him and sits down, inspecting the Pokeball he has recently received. It appears as if the "Dive" label on the Pokeball peels back to reveal something strange:

DECEASED
???

Well, that's a little odd... The standard-issue "deceased" label appears on this Pokeball for Pokemon who have passed away, but it appears to have been etched out, with question marks etched beneath it. What could it mean? Did this Pokemon die... or did it come so close to death that it was presumed dead? This Pokeball in particular seems shrouded in mystery.

As Hyrem thinks about the strange writing on his Pokeball, the mechaMantine slowly begins moving forward through a water-filled with a series of paintings depicting a cartoon Mantine swimming beneath the water, eventually coming across a treasure chest full of delicious-looking poffins, which appears to please the cartoon Mantine greatly. the Mantine eventually "swims" into open water, with its eyes becoming headlights to illuminate the dark, inky water. All sides of this Mantine are covered with large, clear windows, allowing for Hyrem to look into the water from every direction from the relative safety of the ride. Thus far, in the eerie quiet of the deep, there appears to be no Pokemon or creatures of any kind.
A light comes on, indicating that Hyrem can now call out a companion if he chooses. Now may be a good time for Hyrem to call out his new companion, or choose to call out one of his other Pokemon (that meets the height and weight requirements, of course). Which will he choose?


gmoyes- Clone Alex orders Alex to perform Agility; however, recognizing that Agility would be a wasted move considering the simplified battle mechanics of the pixelated video game world, Alex decides to disobey in favor of Conversion. Trying his best to work with what knowledge he already has of Porygon as a species, he tries to think of all things psychic, hoping that a psychic conversion will help power up his psybeam. A message appears that ALEX is disobeying orders, and is using CONVERSION instead. Of course, Alex's plan is marred by one little oversight; despite all of his psychic-oriented thoughts, Alex finds himself feeling heavy, solid and... well, rock-like. He completely forgot that in Red Version, conversion works to convert one's type to that of the enemy's! Ultimately, however, this mistake works in Alex's favor, as Geodude's Tackle ends up being not very effective. Clone Alex tries ordering another Agility, which Alex again ignores, favoring Psybeam. Despite not having STAB, the move is able to play on Geodude's low special stat, doing a respectable amount of damage. Geodude responds with Rock Throw; once again, Alex's previous conversion makes the move ineffective, and though his bar has shown slight decreases from Geodude's attacks, Alex finds himself feeling no pain; perhaps it is a result of being in a video game, or the particular Pokemon into which he was transformed.. Finally, Clone Alex and Alex seem to agree; another Psybeam is in order. Alex awaits Geodude's next attack, which, most likely, will be completely ineffective... Instead of attacking, however, Geodude's sprite seems to fade in and out for a moment, the text beneath him appearing garbled. Is something going wrong in the game..? The strange glitch fades quickly, however, and the words "GEODUDE's defense rose" appear in normal working order, implying that the glitched move was a useless Defense Curl. With Geodude in the red, and the game functioning normally again, Clone Alex throws the sprite of a Pokeball at Geodude, as a message indicating that a GREAT BALL has been used appears in front of the trainer and his "Pokemon". The pair watch as the pixelated Pokeball wiggles once... twice... thrice... the black and white Pokeball turns brown and tan, indicating that Geodude has officially been caught by clone Alex. When prompted for a nickname for his newly-caught Geodude, clone Alex quickly indicates "NO"; since no message pops up indicating Geodude's departure to the PC, it seems as if it will be joining the party from now on. The battle was surprisingly short, but this is the video game world, after all. A message appears in front of Alex; "Great job, ALEX! We're gonna need to work on your obedience, though..." An eerie chuckle echoes throughout the pixellated world. Apparently, his disobedience is not going unnoticed...

Alex and clone Alex emerge from Rock Tunnel onto a very short route; jaunty music plays as clone Alex intentionally avoids trainers on his way to a familiar town. Alex recognizes the town from its small size and strange-looking tower, but most of all, from the music... In sharp contrast to the happy, upbeat tunes common in Pokemon, this town is haunted by an eerie, tinny melody that sounds like the video game version of a funeral dirge. No doubt about it; clone Alex has entered Lavender Town. The music is even more creepy than Alex remembers, and something about it makes him want to claw his ears out... Of course, he has no hands with which to claw, or ears to claw out. Even so, something about the music echoes within his pixelated body; it is as if the music brings feeling back to his currently computer-generated, emotionless, nerve-free existance, and all of those feelings are downright awful and terrifying.

Clone Alex makes a quick trip to the Pokemon Center to heal Alex and the new Geodude. Alex is relieved to escape the music for a moment, surrounded by a familiar melody. Clone Alex returns Alex to his Pokeball for a quick moment; oddly, though Alex can hear the familiar sounds around him of the Pokemon Center agreeing to "heal all Alex's Pokemon to perfect health," he feels nothing at all. Alex is finally called out again after the healing process, though he feels no better or worse than before. After finally freeing himself from the circular, repeated press-A-one-too-many-times trap with the resident Nurse Joy, who seems convinced that clone Alex urgently needs to heal his Pokemon two seconds after retrieving them from the healing machine, clone Alex leaves the center with Alex and heads for Lavender Tower. On the way, Clone Alex stops to have a conversation with a little girl standing by the tower. She asks him, "Do you believe in ghosts?" Clone Alex responds with "NO," and the little girl says, "Haha, I guess not. I guess that white hand on your shoulder is just my imagination..." Alex instinctively looks at Clone Alex's shoulder, but sees nothing there. All the while, the Lavender Town music blares at full volume, its eerie effects overcoming Alex once again. Everything within Alex is telling him to run and try to make a break for it, though he would be completely breaking the rules of the game were he to do so, which may anger the spirit who sent him here. Even so, nothing good could come from entering that tower...

How will Alex respond?


Balmund- It appears as if Balmund's mind is made up. Letting the spirits of the Island determine his fate, Balmund heads for the frontmost row of the Rollerquaza, but not before kissing the Pokeball of his most beloved Pokemon. Whether that kiss represents luck or a final goodbye will be determined by events yet woven into the fabric of time...

As Balmund sits down, the sound of footsteps catches his ear. The sound seems to be coming from the direction of the line, and seems to be approaching the ride rapidly. A man with a fairly musclar build who appears to be in his late 30s or so approaches Balmund with a big, black backpack dangling from his shoulder, his eyes narrow and determined. The man sits next to Balmund quickly and without hesitation, placing the backpack down in front of himself. Balmund can see that the man's arms are covered in Team Rocket themed tattoos, which appear old and faded. His tattered leather jacket seems to be full of faded areas and rips where patches and buttons used to be sewn on, which presumably advertised aspects of himself that were less than savory. A smattering of scars hint at a violent past, and up close, Balmund can see that the look in the man's eyes is incredibly intense. The overall aura of the man screams "trouble," though at such a short distance away, Balmund notices a strange bit of jewelry dangling from the man's throat; a necklace meant for a little girl, which fits like a choker around the man's neck, has a pink half-heart charm with the word "BEST" written on it in blue letters, with a tiny picture of Minun's head underneath. The necklace looks very out of place with the rest of the man's outfit and demeanor.

The Rayquaza mascot wordlessly points to the backpack with his finger, as if informing the man that he cannot bring the backpack on the ride with him; the man responds with a gesture of his own, involving a middle finger being pointed at the air. The mascot stares at the man for a seemingly long moment before shrugging its shoulders and pressing the button that lowers the safety harnesses onto both men. The punk-looking man clings to the backpack, and mutters something to himself before the ride slowly lurches forward. From the little snippets Balmund can understand, it sounds like a prayer, but not one that Balmund recognizes.

The ride starts off slow; there appears to be an indoor portion of the ride, where the ride slowly glides by adorable animatronic Dratini, Horsea and Swablu, which are depicted as laughing and playing in a cloud-like atmosphere. Though the tracks appear to extend for at least twenty more feet of saccharine dragon-type adorableness, the floor suddenly opens up, revealing that the Rayquaza head is actually inches away the first major drop! The man next to Balmund chuckles darkly, muttering, "Here we go." Within seconds, the ride is dropping and rising, looping and twisting, powering its way through sharp turns and plunging with a force that leaves Balmund feeling like his heart is beating in his mouth. Images and animatronic depictions of dragon-type Pokemon whizz by in a flash, with fully evolved dragon-types always seeming to be an indicator of a major drop or death-defying loop. Finally, the ride seems to slow down, allowing both men to catch their breath; of course, it isn't long before they realize that the ride is only slowing to prepare for the gravity-defying descent to the most infamous and terrifying point of the Rollerquaza; the top that seems to scrape the heavens looms above the pair, as the ride's near-vertical ascent inspires incredible amounts of fear and anticipation.
The man beside Balmund provides a simple introduction with a deep, gravelly voice: "The name's William. Guess y'can call me Will." Mimicking formal speech in a sarcastically sophisticated voice, he says, "With whom do I have the pleasure of dying today?" He laughs harshly after asking the question. Even so, despite the man's tough exterior, the man's knuckles whiten as he grips the backpack with unnecessary force, his formerly determined eyes waivering in their gaze. How does Balmund react?


Shadowshocker- Dahlia decides to take the lead for this particular battle. In response to Shadow expressing concern, she admonishes him with a stern peck on the ear, not only for doubting her, but for mentioning the dubious Halloween incident. The Chandelure bows to Dahlia as a respectful, honorable beginning to their battle; in contrast, Dahlia simply glares menacingly at her opponent. The fight begins quickly, with Dahlia calling up an Ominous Wind in hopes of not only damaging her opponent, but strengthing her own abilities. The wind hits Chandelure hard, knocking it back and causing his lights to flicker somewhat. It appears that Dahlia has gained a confidence boost from the attack, as well; she appears somewhat stronger than before. Despite the kickback of Dahlia's stellar attack, Chandelure easily picks himself back up; his candles flare, releasing a Smog into the air. Dahlia tries using this moment to respond with Air Cutter; though the attack blows away some of the smog and damages Chandelure somewhat, the after-effects of smog exposure seem to be effecting Dahlia rather strongly; she coughs and sputters, and looks a little sick... Maybe even poisoned. To make matters worse, Chandelure's eyes emit a blinding Confuse Ray straight towards Dahlia, causing the poor bird Pokemon to see little versions of herself flying around her head. The disorienting light transform's Dahlia's Drill Peck into the poor bird flying into a wall, with a rather sickening splat. Dahlia is able to pull herself off the wall, but she coughs a bit, as if affected by the poison. She still seems dazed by the Confuse Ray's blinding light. A bit of luck comes Dahlia's way as Chandelure is so amused by the bird smacking into the wall that he loses his opportunity to follow-up with a devestating attack, instead spending the time chuckling in spite of himself. The laughter enrages the humiliated Dahlia, whose feathers are sticking on end, tingling with anger. Shadow suspects that if she is able to overcome her disorientation, she could easily pull off a very powerful, rage-motivated attack soon.

Dahlia seems a bit worse for the wear than Chandelure at this point in the battle, though as they say, it ain't over 'til it's over. What will Shadow do?


uhhhhh- Gaspard is quick to assess the Drifloon as a threat to his trainer's safety, and without waiting for orders, he attempts to steal the scissors away from Drifloon with Thief. A sharp SNIP rings through the air the second before the Aipom is able to snatch the scissors away from Drifloon using his flexible tail. Though the scissors have closed, Aipom is happy to see that the purple balloon is still in tact. The scissors graze the Drifloon as Aipom rips them out of its yellow-tipped appendages, doing some decent damage. Drifloon cries out in pain and glares angrily at the interfering purple monkey, inflating itself with a Stockpile of energy. Looking at the aftermath of Drifloon's scissor attack, it seems as if the Drifloon was not aiming for the balloon itself, but for its strings; as the the black strings fall away from Connor's balloon, the now stringless balloon head floats up towards the ceiling. The strings, which are still tied around Connor's wrist, flail and constrict as if they were freshly-severed limbs; though they threaten to cut off Connor's circulation with each thrash and flail, they ultimately fall limp from his wrist. Connor wonders why the Drifloon would do such a thing, and what its intentions might be... Certainly, its intentions right now are to defend itself from Gaspard, who is interfering with whatever the Drifloon was trying to do.

Sensing Drifloon's anger, Gaspard remains on the offensive; the scissors still tightly gripped by Gaspard's tail, he goes in hot Pursuit of Drifloon, who is distracted by the stockpile attack; the sneak-attack works perfectly, with super-effective damage crippling the balloon Pokemon. Unfortunately for Gaspard, his pursuit attack left him close and in perfect range for Drifloon's Payback, which seems to hit Gaspard right in the weak spot; the monkey howls in pain, but rallies back, trying to use the mirrors to his advantage in order to set up another sneaky Pursuit. Though Drifloon is able to anticipate the attack this time and attempt to dodge, Gaspard is still able to land a decent hit. Hurting badly, the Drifloon Swallows the stockpiled air, making Driloon appear less deflated and more healthy, though still significantly damaged. While catching its breath, it looks up at the floating, stringless balloon for a moment, visibly concerned... It is difficult to tell whether the balloon Pokemon is concerned for Connor or for the balloon itself.

Connor has a big decision to make. He can either ask Gaspard to back off and try to better understand the Drifloon's intentions, or he can continue the offensive. Both choices carry significant potential risks, depending on the truth behind Drifloon's attack. What will Connor do?


takkupanda- Broly seems more than happy to follow the little Yamask into the seemingly abandoned Mantine Mania Station; Marcelo, on the other hand, is hesitant. After all, where would they go if something went wrong? Not only that, the likelihood of something going wrong in a haunted place like this seems rather high. Marcelo stops Broly and whispers his concerns to the fiery canine. Though Broly cannot respond in words, a nod followed by a soft nuzzle to the leg seems to be his way of saying, "Don't worry; everything will be okay." Marcelo thinks for a moment, but ultimately decides to place his trust in his Pokemon, agreeing to enter the station with Broly.

Broly is first to jump through the small opening, and is able to enter with no problems. Marcelo, on the other hand, struggles a bit to contort himself in such a way that he would be able to fit through; the experience involves some awkward angles and moments of feeling stuck, but ultimately, Marcelo is able to force his way in and tumble through the opening, which is promptly shut behind them by their Yamask friend. After dusting himself off and checking to make sure that Broly is alright, Marcelo takes a look at his surroundings. Though the trappings of a train station peak through every now and then, the place appears to have been remodeled considerably; a small kitchen and dining area with a plate of berries on the table has been included, with a long row of tiny chairs, presumably for tiny people. The alphabet is painted on the ceiling, though only the letters A, K, M, S and Y are represented. The main lobby of the train station appears to have been converted into a playroom, though the "children" there are certainly unique; two Yamask with masks shaped like the faces of little boys play with retro Golurk action figures, making laser noises and simulating explosions with their imaginations. A Yamask with the mask of a toddler girl hugs an old, tattered stuffed Buneary as the mask hums to itself. A Yamask with the face of an elementary schoolgirl tries to play hopscotch, though it appears that she and her other Yamask friends are trying to figure out how to stop floating and then, once that's accomplished, how to "hop" with their ghostly bodies. One seems to be doing an odd sort of flop where they use their arms to lift themselves up and then plop down on the next square. Though not a very effective hopscotch method, the girls appear to be laughing, both with their masks and with their Pokemon heads.A Yamask with a carton of berry juice approaches Broly and pats him on the head. It coos in Yamask language, a big smile on his elementary schoolboy mask. Overall, despite the clearly ominous exterior of the building, the interior feels decidedly less frightening, though the feeling that pervades here is heavy and confusing. It is hard to tell whether this is a place of happiness or sadness... Perhaps a mixture of both.

In the distance, you hear what sounds like a lullaby in a strange language: Cofa-coooof, cofa-coooof, cofagriiigus cof-cof-fa, gri-gi-guuus, gri-gi-guus, cofagri-gri-gus, cof-cof. Broly seems to want to investigate the lullaby, wasting no time bounding towards it. Marcelo follows, too, and finds a Cofagrigous in the former ticket booth using its upper pair of arms to rock a small Yamask with the mask of an infant to sleep. The room is lined with cradles; oddly enough, though the masks of the infants appear to be sound asleep, the Yamask faces themselves are wide awake, staring blankly at the ceiling... The Cofagrigus rocking the "baby" notices Marcelo immediately, and puts a free arm up to its mouth, as if to indicate the need to be quiet. It places the baby into an empty crib, and floats toward a door labeled "STORAGE". It opens the door and encourages Marcelo and Broly to follow it; inside are two small chairs separated by a wooden table, presumably acting as a small office space. The Cofagrigus ushers Marcelo and Broly inside, and closes the door behind them. It is then that the medallion on the Cofagrigus' "coffin" body speaks, in a calm, professional female voice. "You can call me Mama Coffee. I run the Afterlife Services here at Mantine Mania. I was wondering if you and your Growlithe might be able to help me with a few things..." She chuckles a bit. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm supposing you would like a tour of our facilities. It is a rather strange place, to be sure... a rare sight for the living..." The Cofagrigus' medallion face smiles serenely, though the Pokemon face seems permanently stuck in the trademark, horrific grin so often associated with the species. "...or would you like to get right down to business?"

How does Marcelo respond?

[Dark Searchman]

Dark Searchman- If the others don't have a problem with your characterization of them, then I have no problem with it.

Hyrem is the first to state what he wants; in his mind, going for the "Surf" Pokeball meant that all kinds of Pokemon could be waiting for him, both in the ride and in the Pokeball. After all, the types of Pokemon that learn Surf are more diverse than those who learn Fly or Dive, and the possibility of getting a Dratini or Horsea is especially appealing. Tuner also indicates that he wants the Surf Pokeball, which causes Hyrem to reconsider his choice. Unlike Tuner, who sees Surf as the safest option, Hyrem sees the flume-like drops and open-air car of the Mantine as potential dangers, and reconsiders his choice. In fact, the idea of falling to one's death in general seems to disconcert Hyrem. Deciding on the Dive option, his choice not only allows for Tuner to get his first choice, but also seals the deal for everyone.

Hyrem is the first to receive his Pokeball, and Mantine's words for the trainer are short, yet ominous; "Be careful," is all she says. Suddenly, Hyrem's choice is sounding far less safe than before. Hyrem steps back to let Tuner and TA take their Pokeballs, after which the Mantine closes the curtain to the kiosk, the lights behind the curtain becoming dim once again. With all three trainers having received their own companion, they say their goodbyes to one another and wish each other luck as they each split up to pursue their own path.

For Hyrem, the path leads to a positively plump-looking Mantine submerged beneath the water, with a little periscope above the surface coming out of its head. Atop the periscope, a Remoraid with a sea captain's outfit is depicted as looking out at the world with its own handheld telescope. Hyrem walks across a small plank which leads to an open door atop the mechaMantine submarine, which appears to have been recently repainted and refreshed, though it is unclear as to who would provide such services. Hyrem steps in, closes the door behind him and sits down, inspecting the Pokeball he has recently received. It appears as if the "Dive" label on the Pokeball peels back to reveal something strange:

DECEASED
???

Well, that's a little odd... The standard-issue "deceased" label appears on this Pokeball for Pokemon who have passed away, but it appears to have been etched out, with question marks etched beneath it. What could it mean? Did this Pokemon die... or did it come so close to death that it was presumed dead? This Pokeball in particular seems shrouded in mystery.

As Hyrem thinks about the strange writing on his Pokeball, the mechaMantine slowly begins moving forward through a water-filled with a series of paintings depicting a cartoon Mantine swimming beneath the water, eventually coming across a treasure chest full of delicious-looking poffins, which appears to please the cartoon Mantine greatly. the Mantine eventually "swims" into open water, with its eyes becoming headlights to illuminate the dark, inky water. All sides of this Mantine are covered with large, clear windows, allowing for Hyrem to look into the water from every direction from the relative safety of the ride. Thus far, in the eerie quiet of the deep, there appears to be no Pokemon or creatures of any kind.
A light comes on, indicating that Hyrem can now call out a companion if he chooses. Now may be a good time for Hyrem to call out his new companion, or choose to call out one of his other Pokemon (that meets the height and weight requirements, of course). Which will he choose?

When Hyrem stepped up to take his Pokeball, the Mantine simply says, "Be careful." Hearing that from Sera was the norm for him, but after the mascot told him that... Sera may have been on to something here, and big time. At least it's better than a high-speed ride to your doom, he thought. Or was it? There was no telling what could be down there; this was a run-down amusement park, after all.

Once Tuner and T.A. finished grabbing their Pokeballs, the Mantine, then the kiosk, disappeared back into the darkness, the lights becoming dim once again, leaving the trainers with one thing on their mind: what could possibly await them on their ride? They wish each other good luck, and they go their individual paths, Hyrem's leading to a submarine in the form of a bloated Mantine. The Remoraid with the sea captain's outfit on the periscope was cute, but again, it certainly wasn't about to brighten the mood around here. As Hyrem walked up to the door on top of the submarine, it looked like maintenance was done on it recently. Hyrem didn't really want to know who--or what--was keeping it up, and frankly, I wouldn't either. All he cared about was having a good time and getting the job done... and finding out just what his partner for this journey would be. It certainly took him back to when he started his journey and didn't know about Sera until he arrived on the port that fateful day. There was meaning behind the mystery to Hyrem, and perhaps this adventure and this new Pokemon would match his beginning experience.

However, when Hyrem entered the submarine and closed the door, he inspected his Pokeball. Out of curiosity, he peeled the label from the Pokeball and found something a little disturbing:

DECEASED
???

"Deceased?" he said out loud. "But she said these were the Pokemon that came back alive!" And what was with it being crossed out and having questions marks underneath it? How could they not know if this Pokemon was alive or dead? It just didn't make sense at all, and Hyrem was really starting to worry about the whole ride now.

But, the submarine plunged into the water and showed him pictures of a Mantine swimming beneath the water and finding sunken treasure. Well crud, too late to turn back now, he thought. The Mantine submarine had clear windows all over the place allowing Hyrem to see whatever its "eyes" illuminated, which, at the moment, wasn't any Pokemon or other creatures, thankfully. Just water. Everything seemed a little too quiet, but he was grateful for the quiet because it meant he was relatively safe... for now.

A light came on meaning Hyrem was allowed to call out a Pokemon now. Problem was, none of the Pokemon he had in his party would be of any help underwater. He had to rely on the rental that... could be dead, or not dead, or who knows what... "Well, let's get this over with. Come on out... whatever you are," he said out loud and released the Pokeball with the rental Pokemon inside, preparing for the worst.

[uhhhhh]

uhhhhh- Gaspard is quick to assess the Drifloon as a threat to his trainer's safety, and without waiting for orders, he attempts to steal the scissors away from Drifloon with Thief. A sharp SNIP rings through the air the second before the Aipom is able to snatch the scissors away from Drifloon using his flexible tail. Though the scissors have closed, Aipom is happy to see that the purple balloon is still in tact. The scissors graze the Drifloon as Aipom rips them out of its yellow-tipped appendages, doing some decent damage. Drifloon cries out in pain and glares angrily at the interfering purple monkey, inflating itself with a Stockpile of energy. Looking at the aftermath of Drifloon's scissor attack, it seems as if the Drifloon was not aiming for the balloon itself, but for its strings; as the the black strings fall away from Connor's balloon, the now stringless balloon head floats up towards the ceiling. The strings, which are still tied around Connor's wrist, flail and constrict as if they were freshly-severed limbs; though they threaten to cut off Connor's circulation with each thrash and flail, they ultimately fall limp from his wrist. Connor wonders why the Drifloon would do such a thing, and what its intentions might be... Certainly, its intentions right now are to defend itself from Gaspard, who is interfering with whatever the Drifloon was trying to do.

Sensing Drifloon's anger, Gaspard remains on the offensive; the scissors still tightly gripped by Gaspard's tail, he goes in hot Pursuit of Drifloon, who is distracted by the stockpile attack; the sneak-attack works perfectly, with super-effective damage crippling the balloon Pokemon. Unfortunately for Gaspard, his pursuit attack left him close and in perfect range for Drifloon's Payback, which seems to hit Gaspard right in the weak spot; the monkey howls in pain, but rallies back, trying to use the mirrors to his advantage in order to set up another sneaky Pursuit. Though Drifloon is able to anticipate the attack this time and attempt to dodge, Gaspard is still able to land a decent hit. Hurting badly, the Drifloon Swallows the stockpiled air, making Driloon appear less deflated and more healthy, though still significantly damaged. While catching its breath, it looks up at the floating, stringless balloon for a moment, visibly concerned... It is difficult to tell whether the balloon Pokemon is concerned for Connor or for the balloon itself.

Connor has a big decision to make. He can either ask Gaspard to back off and try to better understand the Drifloon's intentions, or he can continue the offensive. Both choices carry significant potential risks, depending on the truth behind Drifloon's attack. What will Connor do?

Connor just recovered from the shock from the Drifloon appearing with the scissors aiming for him, and the two images he saw. He then quickly grabbed his blue Pokedex and pointed it at the balloon Pokemon:

Drifloon, the Balloon Pokemon. Because of the way it floats aimlessly, an old folktale calls it a "Signpost for Wandering Spirits."

"Well, can't say I agree on the aimlessly floating part," Connor said to the Pokedex, "But... what's it trying to do? What's up with the scissors?" Connor wondered as managed to steal the scissors from Drifloon. It was then that he noticed that the balloon he was carrying a while ago was now on the ceiling, "Wait, why is the balloon on the ceiling now?" he said as he looked up on the ceiling to see the purple balloon then looked at his wrist to see the string still attached to him. It was then that he finally put two and two together.

"Hold on... maybe he wasn't aiming for me. If so, was he aiming at the balloon?" Connor thought as he noticed something odd about how the Drifloon was moving. "If it was aiming for me and Gaspard, it would be attacking us right now, but... it seems to be defending itself," Connor observed as the Drifloon swallowed its stockpile to recover itself. He looked at Gaspard and it seemed that the purple monkey was ready to attack again. It was then that Connor decided. He wanted to at least ask it it's intentions.

"Gaspard, stop!" he said to his partner who looked back at him with a confused look, "Aipom?!" he said to him. "Hold on, I want to talk to the Drifloon first." Connor said as he walked closer to the balloon Pokemon. "Sorry about that, we were surprised when you suddenly approached us like that! I know that that balloon was pretty strange already by itself," he said as he looked back up at the balloon on the ceiling, "But I'd at least like to know why you were targeting it. Is there something we should know that you'd like to tell us?" he said as he remembered the image of him being killed by a Drifloon a while ago. If that was a prediction, he'd like to believe that the Drifloon in front of him wasn't the one going to kill him and despite Gaspard being told to back down, he still was ready to make a move, just in case the balloon Pokemon tried anything funny.

[Balmund]

Balmund- It appears as if Balmund's mind is made up. Letting the spirits of the Island determine his fate, Balmund heads for the frontmost row of the Rollerquaza, but not before kissing the Pokeball of his most beloved Pokemon. Whether that kiss represents luck or a final goodbye will be determined by events yet woven into the fabric of time...

As Balmund sits down, the sound of footsteps catches his ear. The sound seems to be coming from the direction of the line, and seems to be approaching the ride rapidly. A man with a fairly musclar build who appears to be in his late 30s or so approaches Balmund with a big, black backpack dangling from his shoulder, his eyes narrow and determined. The man sits next to Balmund quickly and without hesitation, placing the backpack down in front of himself. Balmund can see that the man's arms are covered in Team Rocket themed tattoos, which appear old and faded. His tattered leather jacket seems to be full of faded areas and rips where patches and buttons used to be sewn on, which presumably advertised aspects of himself that were less than savory. A smattering of scars hint at a violent past, and up close, Balmund can see that the look in the man's eyes is incredibly intense. The overall aura of the man screams "trouble," though at such a short distance away, Balmund notices a strange bit of jewelry dangling from the man's throat; a necklace meant for a little girl, which fits like a choker around the man's neck, has a pink half-heart charm with the word "BEST" written on it in blue letters, with a tiny picture of Minun's head underneath. The necklace looks very out of place with the rest of the man's outfit and demeanor.

The Rayquaza mascot wordlessly points to the backpack with his finger, as if informing the man that he cannot bring the backpack on the ride with him; the man responds with a gesture of his own, involving a middle finger being pointed at the air. The mascot stares at the man for a seemingly long moment before shrugging its shoulders and pressing the button that lowers the safety harnesses onto both men. The punk-looking man clings to the backpack, and mutters something to himself before the ride slowly lurches forward. From the little snippets Balmund can understand, it sounds like a prayer, but not one that Balmund recognizes.

The ride starts off slow; there appears to be an indoor portion of the ride, where the ride slowly glides by adorable animatronic Dratini, Horsea and Swablu, which are depicted as laughing and playing in a cloud-like atmosphere. Though the tracks appear to extend for at least twenty more feet of saccharine dragon-type adorableness, the floor suddenly opens up, revealing that the Rayquaza head is actually inches away the first major drop! The man next to Balmund chuckles darkly, muttering, "Here we go." Within seconds, the ride is dropping and rising, looping and twisting, powering its way through sharp turns and plunging with a force that leaves Balmund feeling like his heart is beating in his mouth. Images and animatronic depictions of dragon-type Pokemon whizz by in a flash, with fully evolved dragon-types always seeming to be an indicator of a major drop or death-defying loop. Finally, the ride seems to slow down, allowing both men to catch their breath; of course, it isn't long before they realize that the ride is only slowing to prepare for the gravity-defying descent to the most infamous and terrifying point of the Rollerquaza; the top that seems to scrape the heavens looms above the pair, as the ride's near-vertical ascent inspires incredible amounts of fear and anticipation.
The man beside Balmund provides a simple introduction with a deep, gravelly voice: "The name's William. Guess y'can call me Will." Mimicking formal speech in a sarcastically sophisticated voice, he says, "With whom do I have the pleasure of dying today?" He laughs harshly after asking the question. Even so, despite the man's tough exterior, the man's knuckles whiten as he grips the backpack with unnecessary force, his formerly determined eyes waivering in their gaze. How does Balmund react?

Taking seat, Balmund hears the rapid footsteps of someone approaching from the line. A man, fairly muscular and apparently in his late 30's, shows up while carrying a big, black backpack hanging form his shoulder, and quietly takes seat right next to Balmund. One could tell by observing his outfit, tattoos and scars that this person probably had a background of violence and crime. Just what kind of things had he seen? Balmund wondered as he was drawn in by his incredibly intense look, which gave him an impression of strength and purpose. He certainly looked dangerous, and while a big part of Balmund was very cautious of him, another felt pure intigue towards him, and moreso as he noticed the out of place charm on the man's neck. Just what was his story and what brought him here of all places? Balmund wasn't one to be too critical of others because fo their appearance and lack of judgement on life desicions; he knew people were more shades of gray than pure black and white, and chances are there was a lot more about this person than what he could gather from this first impression. Whether he would find any answers to that though, was uncertain, but at the very least he was glad to not be completely alone on this ride.

Pointing to the man's backback with its finger, the Rayquaza mascot silently informs the him that luggage is not allowed on this ride, but he only recieves a middle finger in response. The Rayquaza for a long while, and Balmund could only imagine what thought process would be going through behind that mask, if any, until it finally decides to simply shrug and press the button lowering the safety harness on them both. As the ride slowly lurches forward, the man seems to be muttering some sort of prayer while clinging to his backpack, and while Balmund could not recognize it, he silently meditates on the feel of his murmurs as the car glid slowly through the indoor section of the ride, full with adorable animatronic Dratini, Horsea and Swablu. Twenty feet in though, the floor opens up revealing the first vertigo-inducing major drop, to which the man next to Balmund starts chuckling darkly in anticipation; Balmund himself only increasing his breathing more and more on the other hand, but also having a grin plastered on his face as adrenaline pumped into his body. Was it because of some addiction to life-threathening situations or some other form of masochism? Balmund wasn't even sure himself. And then, it started; within seconds the ride is dropping and rising, looping and twisting, and powering through sharp turns with tremendous force; not even riding in the back of a pre-historic Aerodactyl could have prepared him for this. He felt like he wanted to scream, but he couldn't, only clutching to the harness as if his life depended on it and watching wide-eyed as the Rollerquaza did its own thing.

Within moments, the ride slows down, allowing its passengers to catch their breath and prepare themselves mentally as it ascended near vertically to its highest and most infamous point. With growing fear and anticipation, and feeling the pressure of his own weight as the car carried him upwards, Balmund listens as the man now gives a simple introduction, speaking in a sarcastically sophisticated tone, and laughing harshly at his own morbid question. Looking at him for a second, he could see his knuckles whiten as he gripped the backpack with unnecessary force and his gaze now waivering as the they reached the end. Was he intending to die this night? Even if he wasn't, Balmund himself felt like he was comiting suicide right now, but that was something he was already growing to accept.

"The name's Duke." He responded just as simply, letting out a sigh while smiling. "Any regrets?" he asked. It wasn't like he was expecting an answer. In a way, the question was more towards himself than anything. He did have regrets, and many, but all he could do right now was to calmy wait for whatever awaited him up next.

[Treecko's Awesomeness]

Treeko's Awesomeness- TA's position in the negotiations is that of indifference, stating that he will take whichever Pokeball the other two trainers don't want. Though not a very assertive position, it is one that facilitates the decision-making process for the other two trainers, who appear slightly more opinionated in terms of which Pokeball would be best for them. Hyrem and Tuner each decide on their respective pokeballs, leaving TA with the only one left: "Fly". TA is the last one to receive his companion, with the other two trainers already inspecting their pokeballs a short distance away from the kiosk. The Mantine chuckles softly as he approaches to pick up his pokeball, and mutters, so that only TA can hear, "Seems as if your path was decided for you, huh? How appropriate, floating wherever the wind may take you..." The Mantine looks at the Pokeball in TA's hand. "You two will get along, I think." With that statement, Mantine closes the curtain of the kiosk, and the lights grow dim again. With all three trainers having received their own companion, they say their goodbyes to one another and wish each other luck as they each split up to pursue their own path.

For TA, the path leads to a Mantine whose fins are shaped like airplane wings; "MANTINE AIRLINES" is painted on the side of the flyer, and the little Remoraid attached to one of the Mantine's "wings" is painted to look like it is wearing a pilot outfit. TA opens the door to the mechaMantine flyer, which appears to have been recently repainted and refreshed, though it is unclear as to who would provide such services. A sign above the mechaMantine encourages trainers to recall their Pokemon, assuring that it is for the Pokemon's safety and that companions can be called out soon after the ride departs. After recalling Treecko, TA steps in, closes the door behind him and sits down, inspecting the Pokeball he has recently received. It appears as if the "Fly" label on the Pokeball peels back to reveal a note:



As TA reads the message on his Pokeball, the mechaMantine slowly begins moving forward through a tunnel with a series of paintings depicting a cartoon Mantine swimming in the water, than surfacing, than taking off in the air like a bird. At the end of the tunnel, the Mantine lifts into the air; the clear bottom of the mechaMantine, which previously gave TA a view of the floor, now shows what appears to be an indoor forest of trees and small waterways in the dim light. The light sources, which used to provide sunlight-esque luminescence for this part of the ride, are mostly broken, with only a few lights seeming to work in this area. With most of the ride plunged in darkness, it's hard to tell what might be out there in terms of Pokemon, though the whole place is eerily quiet.

A light comes on, indicating that TA can now call out a companion if he chooses. Now may be a good time for TA to call out his new companion, or choose to call out one of his other Pokemon (that meets the height and weight requirements, of course). Which will he choose?

As TA reached the kiosk after his two companions had already received their partners, the Mantine chuckled. That was odd, considering that it had been acting depressed just a moment ago.

"Seems as if your path was decided for you, huh? How appropriate, floating wherever the wind may take you..." The Mantine's eyes darted towards TA's Pokeball. "You two will get along, I think."

What did she mean by that? Before he could ask, the curtain in between him and the water type flew shut. The lights in the lobby dimmed as the three trainers bid each other adieu. Three Mantine-themed vehicles pulled up onto their respective tracks. Hyrem got into the one that looked like a submarine, and TA got into one that looked like an airplane, leaving Tuner to go last. He noticed a little plastic Remoraid in a pilot's outfit glued to the bottom of the Mantine's wing. It's childish cutesy feel contrasted sharply with the dark, abandoned ride.

"Hey, Nav, do you mind going back into your Pokeball?" he asked. "The rental Pokemon is used to the ride, and I don't want you getting hurt."

"Tree," Nav said. He sounded relieved at the prospect of getting out of the spooky ride. Walking up to his trainer, he tapped his Pokeball and went back inside.

"Alright, then," TA said. He stepped into the "plane" Mantine, and sat down. He picked up the rental ball, and pressed the center button. "Whoever you are, come on out!"